Burning Roses, Silver Thorns
by V-Roxie-V
Summary: Sequel to Every Rose Has Its Thorns...
1. Allegiances&Info

**Burning Roses, Silver Thorns **

**Summary: _Sequel to Every Rose Has Its Thorns!_ EVERYONE say 'yay! It's been like 24 hours since the last chapter of Every Rose Has Its Thorns!' Now, what will happen in this piece of the chronical - generations before One-eye even mewls for milk? Rosethorn learns evem ,pre of Thorntail's dark and violent past..and truthfully, she doesn't like what she sees. Though, Rosethorn isn't the only one finding things out about her mate, as Thorntail finally figures out, once and for all, why StarClan has rejected Rosethorn, and refuses to speak to her. And the ominous prophecy Ebonypaw had been given from StarClan…suddenly takes shape, in the span of just a few dawns… **

**Disclaimer - This is a fanfiction of the WARRIORS series by Erin Hunter (that happens to be why it is in the WARRIORS Fanfiction section, thank you very much. ) And it is also inspired by one of my favorite writer's (Fuyumi Soryo) stories - called MARS. Both fantastic writers deserve credit for inspiring this fic! (And you know what, so does V.C Andrews, because...she's awesome.) **

**_Extra_ note on allegiances: You'll notice that RiverClan and ShadowClan are the largest Clans, with ThunderClan only having seven warriors...and WindClan only having three (that are mentioned.) Please remember that a lot of ThunderClan warriors betrayed the Clan, are were killed after the mass coup, and WindClan has been going through some troubles! Just thought I should remind you all... **

_**ThunderClan**_

**Leader:** **Streamstar**

_Pretty White She-cat with Blue eyes_

**Deputy:** **Sandpelt **

_Pale, ginger she-cat _

_Mate: Swiftfoot _

_Kits: Tiberkit, Robinkit _

**Medicine Cat**: **Rosethorn **

_Ginger She-cat with Blue Eyes_

_Apprentice: Ebonypaw _

_Mate (forbidden) - Thorntail _

**Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits, in order of seniority) **

**Flowertail**

_Pretty tabby _

_Mate: Shrewtail_

**Shrewtail **

_Light gray tom with dark brown eyes _

_Apprentice: Onepaw _

_Mate: Flowertail_

**Badgerclaw**

_Big, black and white tom with a narrow muzzle _

_Apprentice: Beakpaw _

**Icepelt**

_Blue-gray she-cat_

_Apprentice: Aquapaw _

**Blackshadow**

_Smoky-black tom _

_Mate (private): Applefur _

_Apprentice: Morningpaw _

**Thorntail**

_Light gray tom with sapphire eyes _

_Mate (forbidden) - Rosethorn _

_Apprentice – Silverpaw _

**Twilightfur**

_Blue-gray she-cat, with piercing blue eyes. Formerly of ShadowClan. _

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**Applefur**

_Ginger she-cat _

_Mate (private) : Blackshadow_

_Kits: Blazekit, Baykit, Petalkit, Nightkit_

_Kits (Mother, Deceased Spottedlight/star) : Hollowkit, Iriskit _

**Dusktail **

_Black she-cat with a golden underbelly_

_Mate (deceased) : Shadowfire_

_Kits: Bramblekit, Cloverkit _

_Kits (mother, unknown) Gingerkit _

**Sandpelt (****Deputy)**

_Pale ginger she-cat _

_Mate: Swiftfoot _

_Kits: Tiberkit, Robinkit _

**Apprentices (more thn six moons old, in training to become warriors or medicine cat.)**

**Ebonypaw **

_Black she-cat with pale green eyes - Mentor, Rosethorn _

**Onepaw **

_Brown tabby tom - Mentor, Shrewtail _

**Aquapaw**

_Blue-gray she-cat with silver tinged around her muzzle and green eyes - Mentor, Icepelt_

**Beakpaw**

_Tan tabby tom - Mentor, Badgerclaw _

**Morningpaw**

_Tortoise-shell she-cat - Mentor, Blackshadow _

**Silverpaw **

_Feminine-looking silver tom with leaf-green eyes, formerly of ShadowClan - Mentor, Thorntail _

**Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired.)**

**Swiftfoot**

_Still young dark tabby tom with amber eyes; former deputy of ThunderClan, retired early due to injuries_

_Mate: Sandpelt _

* * *

_**ShadowClan **_

**Leader:**** Smokestar**

_Light gray tom with pale green eyes_

**Deputy:**** Ravenfeather **

_Black she-cat with amber eyes _

**Medicine Cat:**** Shadedhope **

_Old gray she-cat. _

**Apprentice**_: **Rockyheart **_

_Dark ginger tabby she-cat _

**Warriors **

**Whitesky **

_Light gray she-cat _

_Apprentice: Lakepaw _

**Swamptail **

_Dark brown tabby tom_

_Apprentice: Marshpaw _

**Flyingeagle**

_Big dark brown tabby tom with a white underbelly. Pale blue eyes_

**Foxheart**

_Handsome ginger tom with green eyes_

**Spruceleaf **

_Black tabby with a white chest and tail-tip. Yellow eyes._

**Nightstorm**

_Black she-cat with a single white paw. Pale green eyes_.

**Stormpool **

_Silver she-cat _

_Apprentice: Shimmerpaw _

**Lightfoot **

_Dusky black-and-tan she-cat _

_Apprentice: Cinderpaw_

**Toadfur **

_Black tom_

_Apprentice: Steampaw_

**Deadgrass**

_Short haired tan tabby tom_

**Onyxpelt **

_Jet black tomcat _

**Stripedtalon**

_Golden-brown tomcat with jet black tabby stripes_

_Apprentice: Poppypaw_

**Kindleheart **

_Ginger tom _

_Apprentice: Rufflepaw _

**Brownfur **

_Brown tabby tom _

**Juniperwave**

_Brown silky-violet colored furred tom. Thin green eyes_

**Cricketjump**

_Gray tom. _

** Birchclaw**

_Pale gray tabby tomcat_

**Queens**

**Featherpelt **

_Silver she-cat _

**Blacktail **

_White queen, with black tail, chest, and paws. _

* * *

_**WindClan **_

**Leader: Timidleaf**

_Blue-gray she-cat_

_Yewpaw_

**Deputy: Mapleleaf**

_Golden-brown female_

_Apprentice: Earthpaw _

**Medicine Cat: Graycloud **

_Very light gray she-cat_

Warriors:

**Rabbitfur**

_Brown tabby she-cat _

_Apprentice: Skypaw _

**Moortail**

_Tortoise-shell she-cat _

**Runningwhisker**

_Golden she-cat _

* * *

_**RiverClan**_

**Leader****: Duststar**

_Brown and Gray tabby tom _

_Apprentice : Cinnamonpaw _

**Deputy****: Listeningecho**

_Pale brown she-cat _

_Apprentice : Flowpaw _

**Medicine Cat****: Blueherb **

_Plain-looking blue she-cat _

**Warriors: **

**Puddlespots**

_Blue-gray she-cat_

_Apprentice: Rinoa _

**Speedtail**

_Unusually spotted golden-brown tom _

**Silentsong**

_Pale silver, almost white, with thin black tabby stripes, with silver-blue eyes._

_Apprentice : Rainpaw _

**Icefire**

White she-cat with blue eyes

**Darkstorm**

_Black tom, with dark gray tabby stripes_

**Beetleflight**

_Black tabby tom with silver eyes._

**Gingersnap **

_Dark ginger she-cat with pale blue eyes_

**Owlpelt **

_Small brown tabby tom _

**Shadenight**

_Gorgeous black-she cat with crisp blue eyes _

**Dustyfoot**

_Brown tabby tom_

**Crimsonflame **

_Flame-colored tabby tom _

**Tawnyleaf**

_Golden-brown she-cat _

**Fishclaw **

_Sleek silver tomcat _

_Apprentice : Smallpaw _

**Tinyheart**

_Black and white tomcat _

**Queens:**

**Drizzlestep**

_Ebony-colored coat_

**Violetpelt **

_Brown cat that in correct moonlight has a violet pelt _

**Goldenpool **

_Golden she-cat_

**Moonflower**

_Silver she-cat _

**Elders:**

**Hazetail**

_Old, silver she-cat. _

* * *

**Cats without Clans:**

**Flamesoul**

_Flame-colored tom, formerly Medicine Cat of ThunderClan _

* * *

**Right, considering I'm sure I have some new readers…that would be very confused if they haven't read the first one…here's a quick character summary of the main characters. WARNING: IF YOU ARE GOING TO READ THE FIRST ONE…DON'T READ THIS! CONTAINS SPOILERS! (But…it happens to me far to often that I fall in love with the SEQUEL to something…but I don't like the first one...and it makes me sad when they don't tell you anything that happened previously.) To prevent the annoyance of new readers, here's some information on the main characters:**

**Thorntail-** Thorntail is a ThunderClan warrior and is the hero of this story, is a handsome, flirtacious tomcat who will more or less take any cat as his mate as long as she is indeed, a cat, is breathing, and is 'impressive'. That is, until he becomes infatuated with the medicine cat of ThunderClan, Rosethorn, and begins to have eyes for her, and only her... And considering this is a forbidden love this causes a lot of clashes...which is what this story is about. Dealing with Thorntail's past, he has a rather mucky heritage. His mother, Lightsnow, was a RiverClan she-cat, but fell in love with a ShadowClan tom. She left her Clan, and joined ShadowClan – pretending to be the deputy's mate…when in reality she only used said deputy to be accepted into the Clan, and instead took a different mate, who is, at this point in the story, unnamed. Anyways, the result of the joining was the birth of Thorntail, and his brother, Graywhisker. However, Lightsnow died shortly after breathing life into her kits, and the deputy, who has since become the leader of ShadowClan and carries the name Smokestar, had/has a clear disliking to the kits born from Lightsnow's betrayal. Because of this, Smokestar sent Thorntail and Graywhisker to their mother's birth Clan, RiverClan, where they grew up. Sadly, things got tense between the two brothers…and eventually, Thorntail tells Graywhisker – who had been clueless to the news – the whole story of how Lightsnow used Smokestar's position...and how they were born through that betrayal. Shocked, Graywhisker kills himself by rushing into a monster on the Thunderpath a few days after his brother tells him the news. Torn by grief and regret, Thorntail lost his sanity for a time. Eventually, he left RiverClan, which brought him to ThunderClan, where he eventually became infatuated with the Clan medicine cat, Rosethorn.

**Rosethorn-** Rosethorn is the medicine cat of ThunderClan, and is the heroine of the story. At first she was shy and aloof to her Clanmates, to the point when she seemed frightened of them, until Thorntail began to pad after her, which brought out a slightly more feisty, but still shy and levelheaded cat. Past-wise, her mentor, Flamesoul, left ThunderClan in the middle of her training… And for reasons well known to Rosethorn, but not to the reader as of yet, StarClan does not speak to her as they do other medicine cats. Rosethorn is now a forest-acclaimed hero, because she discovered the cure to The Blood – a disease that was ravaging every Clan except for WindClan…who caused it. However, because of her leader – and mother's – suspicion that she had been disregarding the Warrior Code by taking a mate (which was half-true, half-not considering she and Thorntail have never joined in that sort of union) she was given the full medicine cat name of Rosethorn, so that every time a cat called out to her, she would be reminded of the wrong that she committed. Luckily, however, Blackshadow and Applefur bail her out just before things get really ugly between her and her birth-Clan.

She knows of Thorntail's past – even how he drove Graywhisker to suicide. At this point in the story, however, Thorntail clearly wants to do what mates have been known to do – mate. However, Rosethorn just can't bring herself to...What's more, her apprentice, Ebonypaw, has been doing as her mentor does – not as her mentor says – and has developed a crush on a ShadowClan tom…

**Applefur-** Applefur is a ThunderClan queen, and is the mother of Blackshadow's kits. She has a fiery and violent personality, as Rosethorn would know best. At first, Applefur seemed to be hopelessly in love with Thorntail, and when she saw the tom she wanted begin to pad after the medicine cat, she did everything in her power to try and ruin the special bond they shared - which included, but was not isolated to, attempted murder. Luckily, Applefur eventually realized that Thorntail and Rosethorn truly were in love, and she switched tactics from ruining the forbidden love, to protecting it with all her strength, and eventually became Rosethorn's best friend. As previously stated, she is the mother of Blackshadow's kits – Nightkit, Blazekit, Baykit, and Petalkit - however, out of love and affection for Rosethorn, Blackshadow and Applefur decided that they must disclaim Blackshadow as the father – and claim that is Thorntail – to end ThunderClan's suspicions that there is something going on between the kind medicine cat and the ambitious warrior once and for all. Currently, she's been pressuring for Rosethorn to just throw away her values as a medicine cat, and to give into Thorntail's desires and mate.

**Blackshadow **– Blackshadow is a warrior of ThunderClan, and is probably the easiest character in the entire series to understand. Blackshadow holds the Warrior Code in high regard, and at first, when the forbidden love between the warrior and the medicine cat had begun to bloom, Blackshadow badgered both of them to stick to the rules their Warrior Ancestors laid down many moons ago. However, eventually Blackshadow accepted it, and with the aid of Applefur, tries to protect it and keep it hidden from his Clan. Blackshadow is Thorntail's best friend, and his loyalty to his friend is such that he gave up his claim to his kits for Rosethorn and Thorntail. He sometimes regrets this decision... Blackshadow has a small crush on Rosethorn - and has protected her from Thorntail's thoughtlessness on numerous occasions.

**Silverpaw –** Silverpaw is a ThunderClan apprentice, being trained under Thorntail. He was originally a 'loner' and then joined ShadowClan, and then, along with his closest kin, eventually joined ThunderClan. According to the news Blackshadow accumulated at a Gathering, this feminine-looking tom, was declared 'insane' by ShadowClan – after murdering his mentor, Goldclaw - and was incarcerated in their medicine cat, Shadedhope's, den...until the silver tom joined ThunderClan...as previously stated...

Anything else…well, I'll have to fill in the blanks for you as you read the story. Or -snaps fingers- Better yet, you could go and read the first one. But…if you're too lazy…well, you have some information to climb off of now, don't 'ya?


	2. Chapter 1

**Well, here we are. It's going to take me awhile to state that I'm working on Burning Roses, Silver Thorns and not Every Rose Has Its Thorns, that's for sure! Well, here we are. A bunch of you reviewed the allegiances – thankies! I hope you enjoy the sequel. Er…if there are any new readers…I'd just like to say 'hi'. That matter out of the way, I hope you all enjoy seeing Rosethorn, and Thorntail get even closer/further away from one another, in the next installment. I sincerely hope you all enjoy Burning Roses, Silver Thorns. If you don't…well…tell me what I could do better, yes? **

**Pearl.H.Sweden-...-gasp- ThAT IS AN HONOR! THANK YOU FOR SAYING SUCH A THING! -hugs- **

**Watersoul Head of the Star Walkers - I hope I'm not too late...**

**lmblovesmilk- Well...anything is better than biology. -shivers- **

**Loyalflame- Shadedhope getting an apprentice? She might...I'm kind of saving that for if I ever need a medicine cat apprentice to come into play. **

**Thank you ALL For reviewing -tap dances- Not very often do you get so many reviews for the allegiances! I'm overjoyed! **

**Note: This story takes place the NIGHT of where the last chapter in Every Rose Has Its Thorns ended...so...yeah. Accept it! lol. You've all be wondering where Spottedlight's kits were... Well, here they are. **

* * *

_The dark, ginger-coated tom curled his tail in delight, as he rested his cruel and malicious eyes on her. "It's okay, Rosethorn. I won't hurt you," he purred, his voice so smooth and sweet – like honey- and Rosethorn almost gagged as she backed away from the big, broad-shouldered tom._

"_Yes you will…" she growled, contradicting the tom's statement with a ferocious flick of her tail. _

_For a moment, he actually looked hurt. "No," the flame-colored tom rose to his paws and took two paw-steps towards her, his muscles rippling under his pelt. "I love you, Rosethorn. Can't you see that?" _

_Rosethorn shook her head, violently. That wasn't true! She knew…it wasn't… "Stay away from me!" she hissed, unsheathing her claws. "I swear by StarClan that I'll kill you…" _

_To her surprise, the ginger tom just looked confused. "Why would you kill me, Rosethorn? I'm just telling you that Spottedlight's kits are coming." _

Rosethorn's ice-blue eyes jolted open, and she found herself staring into the confused tawny-colored face of the ThunderClan deputy, Sandpelt. Sandpelt had a look on in her eyes that was a HalfClan cat – half AngryClan, half ConfusedClan, and Rosethorn flattened her ears, embarrassed.

"Wait…wha?" Rosethorn mewed, blinking furiously as she tried to completely regain consciousness from her sleep.

Sandpelt let out an exasperated snort. "Like I said," she growled, "Spottedlight. Is. Having. Her. Kits. Do. You. Under. Stand?" Sandpelt separated each syllable as she spoke.

For a fleeting instant Rosethorn wondered why Sandpelt was taking her time in telling her medicine cat of the birth of the kits. Then she remembered. Spottedlight, the queen currently having her kits, had led a coup against the ThunderClan leader, Streamstar – as well as the whole WindClan and ThunderClan. She had, in fact, planned to become the leader of both Clans by tricking Runningstar, the leader of WindClan, and her own birth-Clan leader, Streamstar, into making her deputy. Evidently, from the kits, Spottedlight had gotten into WindClan's allegiances by slipping into Runningstar's heart – and Spottedlight had rigged a sign from 'StarClan' so that Streamstar would choose her as the second-in-command. Luckily, however, before Spottedlight could kill Streamstar as she had Runningstar, one of the ThunderClan warriors stopped her. But because of Spottedlight's becoming a queen, Rosethorn had advised Streamstar to spare the deputy's life – just until she gave birth – so that they wouldn't risk StarClan's wrath. No cat had exactly been overjoyed by the news, and it was clear by Sandpelt's reaction to the birth that the deputy really didn't care if Spottedlight _imploded_ during giving her kittens life.

"I understand." Rosethorn growled, leaping to her paws in an instant, fully awake. She flashed her sapphire gaze over to her apprentice, Ebonypaw, who had apparently woken up from the commotion – the black she-cat was sitting on her haunches, her dark green eyes missing nothing. "Ebonypaw," Rosethorn purred, "Remember the herbs I set out earlier? Grab them. Spottedlight's having her kits."

Ebonypaw let out a small purr of amusement. "It's time for them to 'pop out like daisies,'" she quoted herself from when she had first become an apprentice hardly even a half-moon ago, and she rose to her paws. As the night-colored she-cat started to collect the herbs, Rosethorn gave Sandpelt a curt nod and the dark ginger medicine cat slipped through the entrance to her den, and pelted towards the fallen tree by the Elder's – okay, _Swiftfoot's_ – den, that had been made into Spottedlight's makeshift nest.

It was only as Rosethorn found herself rushing towards the den at full-speed, that she noticed that it was raining – and that wasn't because she felt her fur getting sprinkled with a drizzle, it was because she heard the sharp 'plops' as the rain fell down to the earth.

She stumbled to a halt, as she came to the nest, and she slipped into the hollowed-out tree, and out of the rain. Instantly, she noticed the golden-dappled pelt of Spottedlight, as the traitorous deputy's claws scraped the earth…as she began her labor.

For a fleeting instant, the thought occurred to Rosethorn to just watch Spottedlight suffer – but she chased the thought away. Streamstar had ordered that Spottedlight's kits become warriors… and Rosethorn would make sure - even if she believed that the Half-Clan kits couldn't have come from a worse heritage – that the kits were born safely, and healthily.

"Okay, Spottedlight." Rosethorn bent down and forced herself to gently lick the former-deputy and technical leader of WindClan's ear, as she urged the she-cat through the birth. "You're doing fine so far. Ebonypaw will be here soon with some herbs to help you through this,"

Even as Rosethorn spoke, the black apprentice slipped into the den, her jaws clutching a bundle. Ebonypaw dropped them at Rosethorn's paws, and glanced at Spottedlight. "The birth is going better than Sandpelt's did," Ebonypaw mewed thoughtfully, and Rosethorn nodded in agreement. The day before had been a rather exciting one. Not only did Streamstar let three new cats join the Clan – the siblings, Silverpaw, Twilightfur, and Gingerkit – that night Sandpelt had given birth. She had given birth to five kits, however, two were born dead, and the other died while still suckling from its mother's milk. Luckily, however, Sandpelt's two other kits – Robinkit, who was named after the deceased Robinwing, and Tiberkit – were strong and healthy, and would probably live to reach adulthood, considering Leaf-bare was nearing its final days.

Rosethorn mewed some soft words of reassurance to Spottedlight as she saw the crimson color of blood start to spread around…as the kits started to come.

"Ebonypaw," she growled, jerking her head over to her apprentice. "Feed Spottedlight from of the Chewed up WaterReed that Blueherb gave us, would you?" she asked, suddenly thankful that the RiverClan medicine had been so thoughtful to leave some at the border after hearing at the Gathering about how many queens ThunderClan had developed. RiverClan had been a little bothersome to Rosethorn recently, however, with the warriors Shadenight and Owlpelt constantly poking their muzzles where they didn't belong. However, other then those two exceptions, RiverClan had been very friendly to ThunderClan recently.

"WaterReed," Ebonypaw quoted quickly as she began looking through the herbs. "That makes Spottedlight not go 'ouchie ouchie' as much, right?"

"Right," Rosethorn purred, as Ebonypaw crouched over Spottedlight, and urged her to eat them. The golden she-cat hesitated for a moment, but finally she began to eat the funny green-reeds that RiverClan cats sometimes got on their paws when they dove their claws into the water for fish.

Rosethorn felt a surge of pride as she glanced from Spottedlight to Ebonypaw. Her apprentice had been through so many births now – Applefur's, Dusktail's, Sandpelt's, and now Spottedlight's all in the course of a few days - the black cat didn't really need much direction from her mentor.

Rosethorn shook her head, and crouched beside Spottedlight, keeping her eyes on the area out of which the kits would come. "Come on, Spottedlight. These are your kits…c'mon…"

Rosethorn almost doubled back, as she noticed the first kit poke his muzzle out of his mother. Oh, Rosethorn had seen kits be born before…but this kit was so painstakingly familiar. Even though she could only see his head, and his eyes were closed, it was obvious who his father was. Runningstar, leader of WindClan. Runningstar hadn't exactly been Rosethorn's favorite cat before he died. Not only did he act inappropriately and tried to shame her on the way back from HighStones at one point, he poisoned ShadowClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan with a disease – The Blood – that had seemed incurable at the time.

The kit fell to the earth – and it amazed Rosethorn that even though Spottedlight was going through another spasm of pain for another kit, she somehow was able to use her tail to urge the young kitten towards her, and then was able to lick the kit until it began to breathe. Once it had air in its lungs, it instantly began to mewl for milk.

"Ebonypaw," Rosethorn meowed instantly, glancing up from the laboring she-cat, "Take him to the Nursery. Give him to Applefur…isn't she the cat who Streamstar ordered to nurse the kits?"

Ebonypaw looked doubtful. "Applefur said she only would nurse them if the kit was her kin, and Bearmoon's son." Bearmoon was Applefur's now-dead brother, who had been Spottedlight's mate for a time. There had been some speculation of who the kits' father was. "Does that look anything like Bearmoon to you?" Ebonypaw's tone wasn't sarcastic – just hopeless as she jerked her head towards Spottedlight's dark-brown tabby kit.

Rosethorn sighed. Bearmoon had been a brown tom – not a tabby – and his pelt had been much lighter. And Rosethorn had seen Runningstar more than she had cared to. There was no question that this kit was a copy of its father.

"Maybe she'll change her mind." Rosethorn meowed thoughtfully. "Or maybe Dusktail will nurse it. Just find the kit a queen." Rosethorn doubted that Applefur would change her mind – and Dusktail had much more of a reason to hate the WindClan leader – and Spottedlight - considering her mate had practically died at their claws.

Ebonypaw shrugged her shoulders, and even though Spottedlight let out a faint hiss, she scooped up the kit, and scurried off in a zigzag pattern, as if she was trying to dodge the rain drops.

The medicine cat switched her attention back to Spottedlight, and felt a burst of surprise as she noticed that Spottedlight had already pushed out another small kit, and had commenced grooming it so it would begin to breath.

Rosethorn sat on her haunches, and watched them for a moment. She could scent the pulsating fear-scent rising from within the former ThunderClan deputy – but for some reason, Rosethorn also sensed joy. For a fleeting heartbeat she actually wondered why, but quickly assessed that any queen must feel some hopeless feeling of glee when they give birth.

The kit that Spottedlight was grooming, had a lovely white pelt, and Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder where the kit had gotten that. Then she remembered that Spottedlight's father, Howlingheart, had been Streamstar's elder brother – and therefore, the kit and the ThunderClan leader were kin. Streamstar had a lovely white pelt, and Rosethorn quickly assessed that the kit must've gotten it from the same ancestor Streamstar had.

The medicine cat actually felt sorry for Spottedlight, as she tore the kit away from the young mother. Spottedlight was far too weak to do anything about it, however, and all she did was vainly flick her claws in the air, and let out a faint hiss. Still, however, Rosethorn grabbed the white kit, and bolted from the den.

…

As she slipped into the Nursery with the white kitten in her jaws, she instantly heard Applefur's furious hiss.

"No," the ginger queen was saying, her voice firm as she glared at Ebonypaw like she was an enemy warrior. "I will not have that_ thing _by my kits." As she spoke, Applefur swept her tail over her four kits, as if making a point. The only kit of Applefur's that had been awoken from the commotion, Baykit, a white and golden-dappled she-cat, stared at the tabby at Ebonypaw's paws like it was the most astounding thing she had ever saw. And considering Baykit's tender age…it might've been.

"Kit!" Baykit squeaked, excitedly as she flicked her tail at Spottedlight's son. "Kit!"

Applefur shook her head, and instantly corrected Baykit's pointing out what the poor scrap of fur was. She rested her tail on the brown tabby. "Evil."

Baykit blinked her wide blue eyes in amazement. "Evil?" she echoed. She stared in awe at the kit. "Evil!" she purred, and stared at her mother for approval, and Applefur was quick to give it to her by licking her on the head. Rosethorn doubted that Baykit even knew what the word 'evil' meant yet.

Rosethorn gently placed the white kit – that, from the smell, was a she-cat – on the ground and sighed at Applefur's stubbornness. Applefur was Rosethorn's closest friends, but Applefur was very feisty, and scornful. Rosethorn knew from experience.

"If you don't nurse them, Applefur, they'll die."

"Good riddance." Applefur muttered, and then she meowed, louder, "I have four kits to look after already. Sandpelt and Dusktail don't. Why don't you get one of them to nurse the evil little things?"

"Dusktail has Gingerkit to watch now, yes she does." Ebonypaw meowed, referring to the young kit that Streamstar allowed to the Clan the day before.

"Gingerkit will be made an apprentice in the next moon." Applefur pointed out. "Gingerkit really doesn't need any milk, or nursing. Dusktail can handle one more."

"Dusktail doesn't have enough milk." Rosethorn burst out. "It's a miracle that she can feed Cloverkit and Bramblekit!"

"And Sandpelt?" Applefur growled, her hackles rising, and Rosethorn was startled at how angry her friend was. Applefur was testy at times, yes, but she had never acted so…mad at Rosethorn since well…she had tried to kill her that one time at SunningRocks! Then it hit Rosethorn – Applefur's old best friend, Dawnshimmer, had died due to the father of the kits – Runningstar, while her other friend, Featherfrost, had betrayed her to join with Spottedlight. These kits didn't even have any thing-half good about them, in Applefur's eyes.

"Sandpelt is the Clan deputy," Rosethorn growled. "She can't possibly look after two more."

"Oh." Applefur looked thoughtful. "Well, I guess they'll die. Night, night, Rosethorn."

The ginger queen fluttered her blue eyes closed, but Ebonypaw let out a loud squeak – alerting the queen.

"But, Applefur!" Ebonypaw whined. "If the kits don't get milk, their heads will fall off."

Rosethorn stared blankly at the black she-cat, and all things considered, Rosethorn was able to let out a purr of amusement. Ebonypaw was a fantastic medicine cat in the making and knew almost all the herbs and remedies already, but sometimes she seemed so…so…well, confused.

Applefur was also looking at Ebonypaw rather oddly, and the apprentice looked around self-consciously. "That's…that's what Flowertail told me when I was kit…" Flowertail wasn't Ebonypaw's mother, but had looked after her when Turtlefeather, Ebonypaw's mother, had died.

"Their heads won't fall off." Rosethorn pointed out, but then turned her attention back to Applefur. "But they_ will_ die."

"Oh." Ebonypaw looked embarrassed that she had said something as silly as stating that their heads would fall off, but quickly regained her composure. "Come on, Applefur. Whatever we say about their parents, these kits are innocent."

"That's what they said about Dawnleaf!" Applefur snapped, and Rosethorn could only stare blankly at her, unsure of what Applefur meant – or who in the name of StarClan Dawnleaf was. Applefur sighed, and rolled her eyes. "Dawnleaf had evil parents, but everyone in her Clan said to themselves that she was innocent, and you know what Dawnleaf did?"

"Steal prey?" Ebonypaw gasped, and Applefur shook her head.

"She destroyed the forest, and the Warrior Code."

Ebonypaw's green eyes rounded in fear as she glanced at the kits, and Applefur continued. "What's more, Runningstar caused The Blood. Ebonypaw how did your brother, Raykit, and your mother, die?"

Ebonypaw's mouth rounded into a gape, as she remembered, and Rosethorn closed her eyes, pained. In a way, she agreed with everyone Applefur was saying, but on the other paw…she didn't really know. She was sort of just blindly following Streamstar's orders…

"Applefur, there are a few flaws in your statement." Rosethorn sighed. "If this Dawnleaf cat destroyed the forest and the Warrior Code…how are we still here, in the forest, following the Warrior Code that she destroyed?"

"Okay, so I made the story up!" Applefur growled, and Rosethorn flattened her ears. Applefur really didn't want the kits – she had never really seen Applefur act like this – angry and mouse-brained at the same time.

"Applefur, take the kits."

Rosethorn nearly leapt out of her fur, as she heard her mother, Streamstar's voice as the ThunderClan leader slipped into the nursery, her pelt wet with the rain. "It'll make things easier in the long run."

"And in the short run?" Applefur queried, and Streamstar didn't answer – possibly thinking it was rhetorical question.

Instead, it was Dusktail, the other nursery queen, who Rosethorn had forgotten was even there, who answered. "Applefur," the black-and-gold she-cat mumbled, her voice slow and drawling, possibly because the queen was half-asleep, "These kits are Robinwing's grandkits…and Hollowstar and Heatherpelt's great-grandkits…."

Rosethorn pricked her ears. She hadn't ever thought of that. Robinwing had been Spottedlight's mother, but Spottedlight had indirectly murdered her by framing her for treason – and, in a claw-jerk reaction, the Clan had executed her. However, Robinwing had been a great deputy of ThunderClan, even if it had been for such a short period of about a quarter-moon. And Hollowstar, though Rosethorn had never met him, had been the leader before Streamstar. He was legendary in all the Clans for his wisdom and heroic deeds – and his mate, Heatherpelt, was equally honored and respected. Rosethorn had had the honor to know her before she died.

However, Rosethorn couldn't help but be surprised at Dusktail's defense. Dusktail had lost her mate, Shadowfire, because of Spottedlight! However, Dusktail had always been a kind young she-cat.

Applefur hesitated for a moment, but finally gave into the pressure of her peers. "Fine." She mewed. "I'll nurse them." She used her tail, to gently move two of her kits, Blazekit and Petalkit, over in their sleep slightly so there would be room for two more.

Rosethorn let out a joyous purr, and scooped up the nameless white kitten, and placed it by Applefur's other kittens – while Ebonypaw did the same to the brown tabby.

"What are their names?" Streamstar asked the ginger queen curiously.

Baykit suddenly piped up, "Evil!" and crawled over her brothers and sisters, to gently touch the two younger kits with a small white paw. Rosethorn sighed. Baykit would probably call the kits evil for the rest of her life. Sure, Baykit had no clue what the word meant now, and was only calling them as her mother told her to, but soon enough the young kit would figure it out.

"That's a good idea, Baykit!" Applefur gently licked her daughter's ear. "I'll name this one Evilkit," she rested her tail on the brown tabby tom, and she flicked her eyes to the white kitten. "And this one can be Cruelkit."

"Oh, I see those kits will grow up in a loving environment." Dusktail muttered sarcastically.

"Evilkit!" Baykit squeaked. "Evilkit! Evilkit! Evilkit! Evilkit!"

"I'll name them." Streamstar announced, clearly dissatisfied by Applefur's choice of names. Rosethorn found that surprising. Streamstar usually was rather cold…and never seemed like the kind of cat that would care about kits. Rosethorn wondered if a fleeting instant if every cat was just acting a little odd because they were tired.

The white she-cat settled herself beside Applefur – who didn't object - and glanced at the dark brown tabby tom first.

"He looks a lot like Hollowstar." Streamstar meowed thoughtfully, and Rosethorn blinked. It was rather interesting that her mother saw a hero in the tom, while Rosethorn could only see the sick tom that had been Runningstar. "I name him Hollowkit."

Streamstar looked at the she-cat thoughtfully. "Iriskit." She purred.

"Hollowkit?" Baykit looked confused at the sudden turn of events, and she flashed a curious look at her mother. "Hollowkit? Evilkit? Hollowkit?"

"Whatever name you prefer, Baykit." Applefur yawned, resting her head on her paws to go to sleep. "Personally, I like Evilkit…it suits him more."

Baykit seemed to have a different preference however, and she rubbed against her new step-brother, and purred, "Hollowkit."

"Hollowkit and Iriskit?" Ebonypaw echoed, flicking her tail with delight, and Rosethorn was relieved that Ebonypaw wasn't holding a grudge against the kits about the murder of her mother. "Those are nice names."

"Yes." Streamstar's voice was sharp, and Rosethorn was relieved that everyone was starting to act…normal again. "I'm going to go to sleep and then organize Spottedlight's execution…" she stopped in her tracks. "Not in that order." She muttered, and slithered out of the den, and Rosethorn couldn't help but notice how cold her mother could be at times…and eerily calm.

"Well, I'm just going to go sleep. I don't want to organize no executions." Ebonypaw meowed firmly. "Can I, Rosethorn?"

"Organize an execution?"

"Sleep." Ebonypaw growled, fluffing out her fur. "We had to go to sleep late because of Sandpelt's kits, and then we had to get up in the middle of a well-deserved rest, and help Hollowkit and Iriskit pop out." Her voice rose into a pitiful mew. "I'm sleepy!"

"Go for it," Rosethorn yawned, and watched the night-colored she-cat slither out of the den and into the moonlight, before she turned her attention back to Applefur. "You okay?" she asked her friend.

"Eh." Applefur mumbled, her eyes still closed. "I'm doing this for Robinwing…"

"And Robinwing would be very happy." Rosethorn purred, licking her friend's ear.

Applefur gave non-committal grunt, before she mewed, "How's Thorntail and his new apprentice going?"

"Nothing." Rosethorn chuckled. "Apparently Badgerclaw and Thorntail got into an argument earlier about who could catch the most, and they were going to have a min-contest with one another. All Thorntail did with Silverpaw was get Aquapaw and Morningpaw to show her around the camp." Rosethorn let out a purr of amusement. Thorntail was a very good mentor – his old apprentice, Scornpaw, had been developing into a fantastic warrior before he was murdered – but sometimes he was a little…flaky. However, Silverpaw had received most of her training in ShadowClan – Silverpaw had been a loner, but joined ShadowClan with her two siblings. However, Silverpaw, Twilightfur, and Gingerkit fled from ShadowClan, and had joined the ranks of ThunderClan for reasons that Rosethorn had yet to figure out.

"Her?" Applefur asked.

"What?" Rosethorn blinked, not sure what Applefur meant.

"Did you just say 'All Thorntail did with Silverpaw was get Aquapaw and Morningpaw to show _her_ around the camp?'" the queen murmured.

Rosethorn blinked, confused. "Yeah, why?"

Applefur let out a raspy purr, and blinked open her ice-blue eyes – and Rosethorn was relieved to see that they were no longer burning with fury of having to raise Spottedlight's kits, but brimming with humor. "Rosethorn, Silverpaw's a tom."

"No way!" Rosethorn burst out. "I…I…I saw her...I mean him…or her! She has lovely silver fur, leaf-green eyes…and…has the same build as one! She can't be a tom."

"But he is." Applefur muttered. "I spoke to Aquapaw. Apparently, she and Morningpaw watched Silverpaw make rain – just to make sure it was true. He's a tom, through and through. I think those two have a crush on him."

Rosethorn felt herself turn as red under her fur as her namesake, the rose. Silverpaw…was a tom…But he looked like a pretty she-cat. Not beautiful, but a pretty one! Golly lolly! That poor tom.

"You should probably go to your den and go to sleep," Applefur muttered, closing her eyes again. "I'm tired, and you will be by the time the sun rises and every cat is flocking into your den for some reason or another."

"Or just Beakpaw flocking in for all the Clans." Rosethorn joked. Shrewtail's young son always seemed to think that he had some sort of deadly disease, and would come to Rosethorn at least as many times as Rosethorn had paws.

The medicine cat gave Applefur a quick lick goodbye, and gave Dusktail a curt nod of respect, before she slipped out of the brambles of the nursery, and into the rain.

She almost toddled right into her den; to go back to sleep, but movement near the Warrior's den caught her eye. She turned her head, and noticed her forbidden mate, Thorntail, slipping out and rushing like there was no tomorrow towards the fresh-kill pile. Rosethorn purred, and padded over to him.

"Hey, Thorntail." She chuckled, flicking her tail in greeting, as she stumbled to a halt beside him while the gray tom sniffed suspiciously at some of the leaf-over prey. "Hungry?" she asked bluntly.

"Yes." Thorntail muttered. "Very. And now I'm getting wet…"

"That's because it's raining," Rosethorn pointed out the obvious, with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"I thought it was supposed to snow in leaf-bare, not rain!" Thorntail hissed, as she used on of his claws to pull a robin from the pile.

"You'd prefer to have to get your MoonHigh snack in the snow instead of the rain?"

"Sometimes. You don't get as wet as fast in snow." Thorntail pointed out, as he took a quick bite from his robin.

"Unless the snow is deep, and you have to run through it to get to the fresh-kill pile." Rosethorn argued, and the gray tom could figure out no way to disregard that.

Thorntail quickly finished his robin, and as he swiped his tongue around his jaws, Rosethorn meowed, "You didn't train Silverpaw."

"I just got him as my apprentice today." Thorntail growled. "And he looks like an elder apprentice. I bet'cha he knows how to hunt and fight pretty well already. Once I show him the territory, he'll be made a warrior, I'm sure."

"Don't you have to test his skills to make sure?" Rosethorn asked.

"I had to prove to Badgerclaw that I'm a better hunter!" Thorntail huffed, with a roll of his ice-blue eyes. "I have priorities, Rosethorn. You have to do the important stuff first."

Rosethorn purred with amusement. "The kits were born," she announced.

"I know," Thorntail purred. "Sandpelt'll be a great mother, I know."

The medicine cat shook her head, "That's not what I meant. Spottedlight's kits were born."

The gray tom blinked in surprise. "How many?"

"Two."

He shook his head, "Tom…" he muttered in awe. "I guess Streamstar's gonna kill 'er now, eh?"

Rosethorn let out a sigh. "Yeah. Nine times." Though they had been able to prevent Spottedlight from killing Streamstar,_ had_ killed Runningstar. And as soon as she had, she went to Moonstone and received her nine lives from StarClan before any cat could stop her.

Thorntail shook his head. "Wow." He muttered. "Well, I'm going to go back to sleep." He announced, giving her a quick lick on the ear. "G'night." He purred, as he turned his back on her and began to bound back towards his den.

"Good night." Rosethorn purred, softly, and turned to follow Thorntail's plan and go back to her den and out of the rain before she got sick. She started to trot towards her den, but as she passed the Apprentice's den, she was surprised to notice that most of them seemed to be awake – and Ebonypaw was among them. Curious, she stopped in her tracks and watched them from afar.

The apprentices were – besides Ebonypaw – Morningpaw and Silverpaw, and as Rosethorn glanced at the silver tom, she was once again startled that any cat with that build and looks could possibly be a male!

"Oh, come on!" Ebonypaw was hissing, her soft, kitten-like night-colored fur fluffing out as she glared fiercely at the feminine-tom. "Why can't you?"

Silverpaw flashed a glance down at his paws, and a ferocious growl came out of Ebonypaw's mouth, and Rosethorn could hardly believe that her tender apprentice had been able to make that noise.

"Come on!" Ebonypaw hissed, wrapping her tail around Morningpaw, her sister. "Why can't you let Morningpaw show you the territory tomorrow?"

Silverpaw hesitated for a moment, before he mewed – and Rosethorn had to strain her ears to hear his soft-spoken voice, "…Isn't that something a mentor is supposed to do?"

"Mouse-brain!" Ebonypaw snapped. "Morningpaw wants to take a walk with you because she likes you!" Beside the black apprentice, the tortoise-shell she-cat, Morningpaw made a startled mew that Ebonypaw had come right out to say it.

"I…I know that…" Silverpaw muttered – and Rosethorn blinked. His voice wasn't nearly as deep as most toms'. At first she had thought he was just quiet – but his voice was really a little higher! "But…well…I sort of have two other cats I like right now."

"Who?" Ebonypaw asked curiously, cocking her head to one side. When Silverpaw didn't answer, Ebonypaw growled, "Do you even know? And don't you dare just throw out some random name! I'll know if you do!"

Silverpaw shuffled his paws. "I probably shouldn't say," he admitted.

"Just tell us one! Just one of your two crushes!" Ebonypaw hissed. "You can't, can you? You just don't want to be with Morningpaw! Why don't you just tell us that?"

Silverpaw's leaf-green eyes were fixed on his paws as he spoke. "Well…I sort of have a crush on Rosethorn."

Rosethorn hissed, surprised.

Morningpaw didn't seem to be able to accept that Silverpaw had a crush on the most forbidden and off-limits cat in the Clan, and rushed into the apprentice's den. Ebonypaw called after her, but finally seemed to get sick of standing in the rain, and flashed Silverpaw a furious glare before pelting off into the medicine cat's den.

Rosethorn shrugged. So the cat had a crush. It wasn't exactly a big deal. Lots of cats had crushes. Eventually, he'd probably start padding after some other she-cat – maybe the other cat he said he had a crush on…He said he had two… She turned to pad into the medicine cat's den, and she was surprised to see Thorntail. At first, she was just curious to why he had come out of the Warrior's den – again – but instantly her curiosity turned into fear, as she noticed that the gray cat had his back arched, and he was growling threateningly at the apprentice's den in which Silverpaw had already retreated into.

Thorntail didn't seem to be particularly overjoyed at Silverpaw's news.

* * *

**I could've ended it better...I know. Anyways, Silverpaw is one of my favorite characters, and I think I'm going to enjoy writing his point of view - which I plan on using once or twice... -chuckles- Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of the sequel! You all were saking if Silverpaw is gay...you know, I sort of picture him as bi...but I don't really explore much of his er...crushes on toms. Well, it will be STRONGLY implied...but I don't think I'll ever come out and say it, since I'm not sure animals...do that.** I might change my mind later though. 

**Anyways, I don't know what plushie to give out now...How about a second-edition Baykit plushie? This time, if you squeeze her, she says 'Evil!'. I don't know...I ran out of ideas. xD Review please! Reviews make me update faster!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Here we go, Chapter 2! Thank you all who reviewed! One OFFICIAL chapter, and already 25 reviews? That is... -flabbergasted- AMAZING! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! **

**xBrambleClawx- Everyone's been asking that... I won't tell anyone!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Yes, Baykit is a little silly, ain't she? Though, Baykit reminds of of Ebonypaw a tad - especially when Ebonypaw was younger...but I'm sorry to say that Ebonypaw had to mature a little bit... -sniff- She was so cute. (Though, I suppose she isn't an adult yet - she thought that without milk the kits' heads would fall off...)**

**Mysticwind of DreamClan- I got tired of answering the question, so I just said he was bi. -shrugs- I don't really go into that in the story... But you know how many Pms I got asking 'Hey, is Silverpaw gay?' I got tired, so finally I just said 'NO! HE'S BI' just to be annoying, really. **

**Watersoul- You're ALIVE! -hugs- And hush! If you give anything away you won't ever see your ham sandwich again. -shows picture-**

**Daklotles85- LONG REVIEW! Oh yeah, long review! WOOT! So you picture Baykit like that? Well, since she's practically my gift-character to you...would you like me to make her grow into that personality? As for Silverpaw...I love him! He's so weird...but... I like him too! **

**Mapleleaf- You'll see...you'll see... **

**Steeltalon- As I said to Mysticwind... I more or less said he was bi just to make everyone hush up... My e-mail was FILLED With the same question! I might re-upload the last chapter without the author's note...it really isn't needed, huh?**

**Loyalflame- Oh, thanks for the cat! I'm going to wait to re-upload the allegiances, but when I do, look for Blacklight in ShadowClan! **

**Oceanwind- Bayleaf is a Pokemon...isn't it? Nah, I have a different name in mind. And -shivers- I could never forgive Runningstar for what he tried to do...**

**Greenpool- YAY IRONY AND SARCASM!**

**Strangefur- Tortoise-shell tortoiseshell? THANKS FOR THE TIP:D**

**Rabbitstorm- And I like your reviews! Together, we like one another's chapters and reviews, and we are all happy.**

**Leafpool's loyalty- Well...could I just use their names? Their history sounds like it deserves its own fanfic!**

**Yes, you may notice that I answered every reviewer for the last chapter...and I bet it seems long, and annoying...but I was just so happy that I couldn't help myself! Thank you all for reviewing! Oh, and if you gave me a character, when I re-upload the allegiances, look for them in their respective Clan! **

**Enjoy this chap,**

* * *

Rosethorn narrowed her eyes, as she stared at her beloved gray tom, Thorntail. In his jealousy, he had lowered himself into a stalking crouch – with his ears flat against his head, while his fur bristled. Rosethorn wondered for a moment if he was going to pounce on the silver cat that was, in Thorntail's eyes, invading his territory. Silverpaw himself didn't seem to notice – or maybe he did… the starlight-colored tom-cat was examining the ground with his eyes. 

Rosethorn hesitated, but finally padded towards Thorntail and rested her tail on his shoulder, silently telling him that it probably wouldn't be wise to show hostility to Silverpaw because of the cat's crush. Thorntail made no sign that he had even felt Rosethorn's tail – though his eyes flashed about, as if he was weighing the possibilities on what to do.

"Thorntail…" she mewed softly, but before she continued, she heard a cat beside her mew, and she flicked her gaze over, and noticed the tan tabby tom, Beakpaw, staring at her, his amber eyes wide.

"What?" she asked him, attempting to make her voice sound cheerful. Badgerclaw's young apprentice lifted his tail into the air, and shoved it in her face.

"Onepaw bit my tail in his sleep." Beakpaw's eyes rounded with fear. "It's bleeding…do you think my tail will try to get revenge?"

Rosethorn recalled that Beakpaw was either pretending to think – or actually thought – that his tail was planning on destroying the Clan. "No, I don't think tails do that unless their owners tell them to. Now, Beakpaw, I'll see your tail in a moment, I'm busy…"

"But it's bleeding." Beakpaw mewed, his voice a pitiful squeak – and Rosethorn rolled her eyes. Apparently, Beakpaw was determined to have her look at his tail.

Rosethorn flashed a glance at Thorntail, who was flexing his claws as he glared at Silverpaw, and Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder if Thorntail was thinking...murderous thoughts. "Uh…I'll be right back." She told him. Lowering her voice, she added, "Don't kill your apprentice while I'm gone, mmmkay?" The storm-colored tom didn't answer…and though Rosethorn hesitated, eventually, she led Beakpaw into her den.

…

Thorntail tossed an icy glance over his shoulder, as the ginger she-cat and Beakpaw disappeared into the Medicine Cat's den. While they did that, Thorntail noticed that a small golden ball of light was starting to unbury itself from the ground, and begin to rise into the sky. While it was doing so, the warriors of ThunderClan started to poke their muzzles from their den, and began to mingle about themselves for a few heartbeats, before they started to mix apart and go on their duties.

While Blackshadow and Twilightfur – the cats assigned on the Dawn Patrol – began to pad towards him, Thorntail padded towards Silverpaw in a swift trot. As he did so, the apprentice raised his leaf-green eyes, and leapt to his paws at the approach of his mentor. Thorntail narrowed his eyes, a mixture of jealousy and anger rising within him. Silverpaw was about to learn one of the most important non-spoken rules of the Warrior Code –_ never_ move in onto your mentor's mate.

"…H-H-Hi, Thorntail." Silverpaw purred, curling his tail with delight. "What are we going to-" before Silverpaw could finish his sentence, Thorntail swiped his claws across the feminine-looking-tom's face.

Silverpaw blinked, startled, as a small trickle of scarlet liquid began to crawl down his face.

"Mouse-brain," Thorntail growled, making his voice as malicious as possible, "Medicine Cats are off limits. Even to effeminate pieces of crow-food that even _ShadowClan _didn't want."

Silverpaw drew back in fear, and Thorntail let his hiss fade into the air – and was surprised when it kept going. He turned his head, and realized that there had been quite a large group of ThunderClan that had been milling about the apprentice's den when he spoke. Morningpaw, apparently had been returning to the den, and the tortoiseshell she-cat's ears were flattened against her head, and she drew back her lips into a snarl. Beside her, was her sister, Aquapaw, who simply looked startled – along with her mentor, Icepelt, who, to Thorntail's surprise, was giving him a nod of respect as if no cat could've said it better. He turned his head, and noticed that Blackshadow had his amber eyes shut, and his head lowered in embarrassment for his friend – and Twilightfur had arched her back and gave a threatening growl when the gray cat glanced at her. Thorntail supposed that he didn't make a good first impression with her, insulting her brother and littermate like that.

Thorntail shrugged, and turned away from Silverpaw, and leveled his gaze the apprentice's sister, Twilightfur. "Well," he purred good-naturedly. "We should get on that patrol, huh?"

…

"That's," Blackshadow flicked his tail to the impressive oak tree in the distance, "The Owl tree." He explained to Twilightfur, giving her a curt nod. "We often use that as a meeting place… Um…" the ThunderClan warrior flashed a glance at Thorntail, who let out an annoyed sigh. "Do you have anything to add?"

"An owl lives in the owl tree." Thorntail meowed bluntly.

Blackshadow let out an exasperated sigh, and Thorntail – mainly to be annoying, mimicked him. "Thorntail, I think that that was obvious."

Thorntail let out a cheeky purr, as Twilightfur rolled her ice-blue eyes. Thorntail couldn't help but notice that Blackshadow had turned this patrol into an excuse to show Twilightfur ThunderClan territory. Thorntail had thought that they were going to patrol the borders and renew the scent markers – apparently not. _If you're going to steal prey from ThunderClan today, _he thought morbidly, _Now's the time. _

Twilightfur suddenly jerked her muzzle into the air. "I smell WindClan," she growled, and Thorntail couldn't help but notice how that fit into what he had just been thinking about perfectly.

Thorntail opened his mouth to taste the air better. "There's only one or two."

"One or two cats WindClan in ThunderClan territory." Twilightfur growled, her hackles rising, and Thorntail suddenly recalled that ShadowClan cats were notorious for their…somewhat sick obsession with territory.

Blackshadow, the leader of the patrol, sniffed the air as well, and suddenly flicked his tail. "They're over there," he hissed, and dropped into a stalking crouch – and Thorntail mirrored Blackshadow's move. He glanced at Twilightfur, and was relieved to see that she too had dropped low – but he couldn't help but notice that it was clearly more suited for leaping into a fight then onto prey – usually, when hunting, a cat flattened their ears against their head, and lowered their tail so it just touched the ground – keeping their claws sheathed so they wouldn't make any extra noise. Twilightfur, however, had her ears erect, alert for an attack, with her tail high in the air to help her spring, with her claws unsheathed. Thorntail supposed that was more useful for this particular situation in stalking WindClan cats, but he couldn't help but wonder if she hunted like that too. He had to stifle a purr. It didn't matter – had had kept his RiverClan hunting habits with him for a long time after he joined ThunderClan as well, but he quickly fell into the pattern of the different territory. The blue-gray she-cat, Twilightfur would too, one day.

Thorntail slowly slipped over towards a clump of thorns, and noticed the WindClan scent was almost unbearably strong. He couldn't help but wonder why the enemy warriors were so deep in ThunderClan territory…

Thorntail slowly and quietly stuck his head through the ferns, and once again had to stifle a purr, as he noticed the dusky brown WindClan tabby, Rabbitfur, and her companion each carrying a squirrel in their jaws. ThunderClan squirrels. They were stealing prey! Didn't WindClan ever learn?

"Get ready," Blackshadow hissed from beside Thorntail. "On the count of three, we jump them, alright?"

"Correct." Twilightfur meowed instantly, while Thorntail gave a grunt of agreement.

"One," Blackshadow began, and Thorntail saw the black tom unsheathe his claws. "Two," his friend tensed his muscles. "Th-" he didn't get to finish the count.

"Hey, Thorntail!"

A furious growl that Thorntail instantly recognized as belonging to Aquapaw sounded from behind them, and the WindClan cats, hearing the apprentice's loud mew, instantly bounded off – and since they were so used to running over the moors, they were out of sight in a heartbeat.

Rage surged through Thorntail, and he whipped around to stare Aquapaw – and her sister, Morningpaw beside her, right in the face. "What?" he growled. "Do you know what we were doing?"

"I don't care how big the rabbit you were stalking was!" Aquapaw flared. "I bet I caught a bigger one before." Thorntail remembered that even though Aquapaw was still an apprentice, she was already one of the greatest hunters in the Clan.

"We happened to be preparing to chase a couple of trespassers out of our territory." Blackshadow put in, glaring at the two she-cats, especially Morningpaw, who was his own apprentice to mentor.

At this, the two she-cats flattened their ears against their heads in embarrassment, but quickly seemed to get over their embarrassment. They didn't even ask who the trespassers were. Instead, Aquapaw hissed, "It's terrible what you said! Even though you're Silverpaw's mentor, there are still things you can't say!"

"It's against the Warrior Code for medicine cats to have mates." Thorntail pointed out. "I had to warn him."

"He just has a crush!" Aquapaw snapped, and Thorntail was surprised at how disrespectfully the blue-gray she-cat was talking to a warrior. "Haven't you ever had a crush on a cat that was off-limits, Thorntail?"

At this, Blackshadow let out a purr of amusement – and Thorntail gave him a sharp glance. Blackshadow knew that Thorntail and Rosethorn were practically mates, and probably found it amusing at how close Aquapaw had come to the truth.

"Yes, I have." Thorntail admitted. "But I don't go announcing it to the heavens."

"That's not fair!" Morningpaw put in, lashing her tail. "Ebonypaw and I practically clawed him until he admitted it."

"And it's not Silverpaw's fault that Rosethorn led him on." Aquapaw growled, curling her lips into a snarl. "It's Rosethorn's."

"Rosethorn didn't even talk to him." Thorntail growled, getting annoyed. "It's not her fault."

Aquapaw narrowed her eyes. "That's not what Shrewtail says." She hissed. "Shrewtail says that Rosethorn felt bad about losing you to Applefur, so she started to look for a new cat."

"Oh, StarClan." Thorntail rolled his eyes. Shrewtail was always causing trouble. Why was the warrior so annoying. "Don't believe anything Shrewtail says." Thorntail meowed. "He's loony."

"Beakpaw was the one who told me." Morningpaw growled.

Thorntail sighed, and exchanged an annoyed glance with Blackshadow. These apprentices were getting on his nerves. "First off," Thorntail growled turning his attention back to Morningpaw and Aquapaw, "Who is Beakpaw's father?"

The two apprentices glanced at each other, before Aquapaw meowed, "Shrewtail."

"Second off…" Thorntail blinked, "Isn't Beakpaw the cat who thinks that his tail is going to become some evil tyrant or something? Can you really trust him?"

"He only does that to be funny." Morningpaw defended her denmate loyally.

Aquapaw hesitated – probably feeling guilty for understanding Thorntail's reasoning, but finally she meowed, "Besides," she curled her tail. "This isn't about Rosethorn anyways. This is about you violating Silverpaw's rights!"

"Rosethorn has rights just as much as Silverpaw does." Thorntail snapped. "Look what this little crush of his has done to her reputation. Already, young minds such as yours are being poisoned, thinking her disloyal. She doesn't like Silverpaw, she never will, and this is causing her trouble." Thorntail shrugged. "Now, I want you two to go back to camp and think about your futures in the Clan…or whatever it is apprentices do."

"Twilightfur!" the two she-cats turned their attention to the former ShadowClan she-cat, who blinked, startled.

"You agree with us, don't you?" Aquapaw asked. "You're a warrior! Why don't you show Thorntail right from wrong."

Thorntail tensed, just in case Twilightfur gave into the apprentice's coaxing, but instead she growled, "Go back to camp. Because of you, WindClan was able to steal prey."

Thorntail almost stumbled back in surprise. He had expected Twilightfur to defend her brother more! Instead, she seemed too angry about WindClan's thievery to notice.

The two apprentices looked equally startled, but finally seemed to realize that they had just been beaten, and fled back to camp.

"Well," Blackshadow sighed, "Maybe we should patrol up the WindClan border, just in case there are more of them?"

"Right." Twilightfur growled, nodding her head in agreement. Without waiting for her two new Clanmates, she rushed on ahead of them.

"You really should learn to keep your mouth shut," Blackshadow sighed to Thorntail, before he ran after her.

"I'll keep it shut when there's nothing more to talk about." Thorntail defended himself, rushing forward to catch up.

…

"Ebonypaw, this is important." The black she-cats eyes rounded, as she gazed up at her mentor, clearly wondering what was so important. "Onepaw has Whitecough." Rosethorn told her, and the black she-cat let out a mewl of surprise. "Whitecough isn't deadly, Ebonypaw, so I wouldn't worry too much," Rosethorn gently laid her tail on Ebonypaw's forehead in an attempt to comfort her. She hardened her voice to make a point, "However, when it turns to Whitecough, it is."

"But leaf-bare is nearly over!" Ebonypaw burst out. "We shouldn't be getting no coughs!"

"You're right; it usually pops up in the middle…" Rosethorn shrugged. "But no matter how rare it is, Onepaw has it. So, what do we do for him, Ebonypaw?"

"Chickweed." The dark apprentice meowed instantly, her green eyes sparkling with pride – she clearly knew practically all the herbs and their uses already.

"Excellent!" Rosethorn praised her, as she felt a glimmer of amusement appear in her own sapphire eyes. "I'm sorry to leave, but I have to give some Milkleaf and lavender to Dusktail for Bramblekit and Cloverkit. You know what to do, right?"

"And I know how to avoid catching the sickness myself." Ebonypaw assured her. "But can I give Dusktail the lavender and Milkleaf? I love seeing the kits."

Rosethorn sighed, disappointed for the black she-cat already. "I haven't shown you properly how to do that, yet. And one of us has to take care of Onepaw, so I can't supervise you."

The light from Ebonypaw's eyes disappeared in an instant; she looked down at her paws. "I know that lavender and Milkleaf will help her make milk…" she defended herself in a soft voice.

"Ah, but do you know how to mix them just right?" Rosethorn asked, and to this, Ebonypaw had no answer. "Don't worry, I promise I'll show you soon enough," she gave Ebonypaw a quick lick on her ear. "Goodbye, Ebonypaw."

The night-colored she-cat gave her a curt nod, and scurried out of the Medicine Cat's Herb-half of the den, and into the half that was more commonly used for the sick cats, to see to Onepaw.

Rosethorn herself slithered of the den, and almost yowled with joy to finally be out of the cramped nest that she and Ebonypaw shared, and into the warm golden sunlight.

The medicine cat started to pad towards the brambles of the nursery in a swift trot, and her whiskers twitched in amusement, as she noticed Applefur's kits, Nightkit, Baykit, Petalkit, and Blazekit running around outside for the first time – under their mother's watchful eye.

"Hey, Applefur." Rosethorn purred, giving the ginger she-cat a curt nod, as Blazekit rushed between her legs on one end, and out the other as his sister, Baykit, chased him.

"Oh, hi Rosethorn." Applefur glanced up from grooming the black kitten, Nightkit. "You here for Dusktail?"

Rosethorn nodded. "She's been having trouble producing milk for Cloverkit and Bramblekit. I was going to give her some Milkleaf and lavender."

Applefur let out a sigh, "Dusktail went hunting." She explained. "Sandpelt's watching her kits for her." She meowed, flicking her tail into the nursery, where Rosethorn guessed Sandpelt was.

Rosethorn couldn't help but let out an annoyed sigh. She supposed she should've made sure Dusktail was in the camp – she was so used to the queens more or less staying in camp most of the day. Why hadn't she figured that at some point or another, Dusktail would want to sink her claws into some prey?

"How are Iriskit and Hollowkit?" Rosethorn asked carefully, as Spottedlight's two kits suddenly flashed within her mind. She looked around. She only saw Applefur's kits that she had given birth to for Blackshadow. Where were the half-Clan kits of Runningstar's and Spottedlight's?

"They're fine, I guess." Applefur shrugged. "They're too young to come out and play with these big 'ol warriors," she purred, giving Nightkit a playful lick on the forehead, "So I left the evil little things sleeping in the nursery."

Rosethorn opened her mouth to sharply tell Applefur that Iriskit and Hollowkit were not evil…but closed her mouth almost instantly. She wasn't exactly sure herself. Their father, Runningstar, had killed more cats then Rosethorn could count by infecting the other Clans with a terrible disease…and Spottedlight had indirectly murdered her mother, nephew, WindClan's deputy – Steeltalon, had rigged a sign from StarClan, and had tried to ruin Rosethorn and Thorntail's reputations. Runningstar and Spottedlight had practically been the pinnacle of evil – wouldn't their kits come out the same way?

"Do they get along with your other kits?" Rosethorn asked suddenly, and Applefur shrugged.

"They don't do much except sleep and drink, Rosethorn… They were just born yesterday. But Baykit seems fascinated by them…and she coaxed Blazekit into an amazement of them as well…"

"Oh." Rosethorn shrugged; slightly embarrassed that she already had expected Iriskit and Hollowkit to be bounding around making friends – or enemies, when they hadn't even opened their eyes yet. "Well…I think I should go check how Ebonypaw and Onepaw are doing."

"Okay," Applefur purred, and suddenly her mew was sharp, as she hissed to Blazekit, "Your sister is not a moss ball! Stop throwing her around!"

Rosethorn shook her head as she let out a purr and began to pad back to her den, when she toddled on past the apprentice's den, and noticed Silverpaw.

The starlight-colored tom was sitting on the outside of it – by the tree stump – alone. He seemed to be examining his paws, because his leaf-green eyes were fixated on them. Curious, Rosethorn took a small kitten's step towards him. "Silverpaw?" she asked.

Silverpaw looked up at her, his eyes wide, and almost instantly leapt to his paws to escape, but Rosethorn stopped him with a soft mew.

"Wait, Silverpaw!" she meowed, as she came towards him, her tail flicking in a greeting. Silverpaw's ears flattened against his head, so she mewed quickly, "I'm not mad at you…" She settled herself down beside him.

"I'm…I'm sorry." Silverpaw breathed. "I didn't mean any harm." Rosethorn blinked, curious. "I know that you're the medicine cat, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…" Rosethorn was about to inform him that a crush really didn't make StarClan writhe in agony, but before she could Silverpaw went on. "I guess it's no surprise that Thorntail thinks of me the way he does…All well." Silverpaw shrugged his feminine shoulders. "I suppose I deserved that… But I really can't hold anything against Thorntail."

"Hold something against Thorntail?" Rosethorn echoed. "What, did he do something?"

Silverpaw blinked, startled. "Oh, I'm sorry." He breathed. "I thought you would've already heard about what happened this morning."

"Something happened this morning?"

The former ShadowClan apprentice sighed. "I was told that I'm an effeminate piece of crow-food." Rosethorn let out a startled mew – how could Thorntail say such a thing? - but he went on with a shrug. "But that can't be helped, since Thorntail is completely right… And besides, I admire him to much to hold a grudge…"

"Admire him?" Rosethorn gasped, her whiskers twitching in surprise. Silverpaw nodded, and Rosethorn couldn't help but be curious. "What…what exactly do you like about him?"

Silverpaw didn't hesitate. "Everything." He admitted. "The way he lives his life, his strength…everything there is about him." Silverpaw let out a quiet mew. "If I was born more like him…I wouldn't be such a boring cat…" Silverpaw leveled his gaze with Rosethorn's. "You know, I've looked feminine since I was little. Cats are always mistaking me for a she-cat," Rosethorn felt herself flush – she was guilty of that, "And I was constantly being made fun of by others…I guess I'm the model victim." Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head, suddenly feeling an odd feeling of rage towards Thorntail for the first time in a long while. How could he have said such a thing to Silverpaw?

In an attempt to comfort her new Clanmate, Rosethorn touched her nose to his fur and breathed in the silver cat's scent…and blinked, startled. It was the most peculiar thing… His scent was so…faint…it was almost non-existent. It was definitely there – A tom with the stench of ShadowClan covered over by ThunderClan – but… it was so hard to detect…

"The herb, ThornTail isn't just referring to the way it looks, is it?" Silverpaw asked her, as she removed her muzzle. Rosethorn suddenly recalled discovering the herb that cured the deadly disease – which RiverClan had named The Blood since it made its victims bleed to death even though they had no injuries – and naming the herb she discovered…ThornTail.

Before Rosethorn could answer, Silverpaw went on, "It's referring to Thorntail, the warrior of ThunderClan, isn't it?"

Silverpaw's words still hung in the air, and Rosethorn couldn't help but notice how the air…went cold for a second.

…

"What?" Thorntail hissed, narrowing his eyes at Applefur as the queen glanced up at him. "You mean Rosethorn already went looking for herbs?"

"She said that some berries would be growing now that the air warmed up, and she wanted to get them before the birds did." Applefur told him, flicking her tail lazily as she lay in the sun with her son, Blazekit curled up on her back as he slept.

"Hey," Thorntail mewed suddenly, "Did Rosethorn say anything to you about a weird rumor?"

"I don't know if Rosethorn knows, but I was right there when you called Silverpaw an 'effeminate piece of crow-food that even ShadowClan didn't want." Applefur's whiskers twitched in amusement. "What a lovely mentor-apprentice relationship you two will have."

Thorntail opened his mouth to reply, but Applefur went on, "But more importantly, Rosethorn told me that you two haven't…" she looked around to make sure that no one except for the sleeping Blazekit was in hearing range, "Mated yet."

Thorntail flashed his gaze down to the earth. "To tell you the truth," he sighed, "I don't think she likes me like that."

"Nope," Applefur shook her head, "She's avoiding it because she likes you so much. And I don't know how it is for toms," she blinked, "But for a she-cat, once you mate you two are mates for eternity, and it's a little scary. And she's a medicine cat, so it must be even more like a thorn in her side!"

"What about for you?" Thorntail was referring to the short period where he and Applefur had been mates – and had, in fact, mated. They hadn't stayed together long, however, but the whole Clan thought they were mates – and Blazekit, Nightkit, Baykit, and Petalkit his children…when in reality, they were Blackshadow's. Blackshadow had given up his rights to the kits so the Clan would stop accusing Rosethorn of breaking the Warrior Code with Thorntail.

"I was desperate." Applefur purred. "You were a strong, loyal warrior – handsome too," Thorntail chuckled – oh so humbly, "All I wanted was to be with you. I was happy and scared…" Applefur let out an amused chuckle. "You're such a mouse-brain." She sighed. "You wouldn't have had all this trouble in mating if you had stuck with me."

"Hmm." Thorntail blinked thoughtfully. "Would you mate with me if I asked?"

The ginger queen snorted. "Depends on the time and place." She growled. She rested her pale-blue gaze on him, her gaze softening. "But we probably wouldn't have as much fun as before, huh?"

Thorntail sighed, and got to his paws. "You're right." He admitted. "Well, I'm going to go find Rosethorn. Bye, Applefur." He gave her a friendly lick on the ear, to which she muttered something about Blackshadow, and trotted off.

…

The dark ginger medicine cat was using her fangs to bite of a small twig of a bush that happened to be covered with dark red berries by the SnakeRocks, when he found her.

"Hey, Rosethorn." Thorntail purred, giving her an affectionate lick on the ear. She let go of the twig, and glanced playfully up at him.

"Hiya," she purred cheerfully, flicking her tail in a greeting.

"Look," Thorntail settled himself down beside her, "There's something I want to tell you – WHOA!" he stumbled back in surprise, as he noticed the silver tom sitting beside Rosethorn. "When did he get here?"

"He's been here the whole time," Rosethorn told him, with a confused look on her face. "You were out patrolling, and he hasn't really been out of camp since he joined the Clan. I thought it might be good for him to get to know the territory."

Thorntail sighed. "C'mere." He growled to Rosethorn, leading her a few fox-lengths away from the silver tom.

Once he was sure Silverpaw couldn't hear him, he growled to Rosethorn, "You're only making Shrewtail's silly rumors seem true."

"No cat ever believes Shrewtail." Rosethorn pointed out with a roll of her eyes. "I wouldn't have had to bring him with me, if his mentor would just take him out for training."

Thorntail flattened his ears at Rosethorn's sting at his mentoring skills, but shook it off. He was about to defend himself, when the medicine cat went on. "You should at least show him how to hunt in ThunderClan territory. You know, he really admires you…you should see what he can do and has to say." Rosethorn looked down at her paws, embarrassed. "I kind of identify with him a bit… I've also wished that I was more like you."

…

Rosethorn let out a purr, as Thorntail padded back over to Silverpaw, who, to her surprise, hadn't moved since Thorntail had taken her aside to speak to her in private. He also didn't flinch as Thorntail loomed in front of him.

Rosethorn's fur tingled with anxiety as Thorntail opened his mouth to speak. "Sorry about earlier," he sighed, to Rosethorn's relief. "I went a little too far. Uh…" Thorntail looked around. "Have you ever hunted in a forest like ThunderClan's before?"

Silverpaw looked thoughtful, before he answered his mentor, "No, I haven't. I'm much more used to marshes and swamps…"

"Swamps?" Thorntail echoed, and Silverpaw let out a purr.

"Is hunting here similar to hunting in the swamps?"

Thorntail shook his head. "Nope." He growled. "Totally different. I had just forgotten about the swamps of ShadowClan." Rosethorn recalled that Thorntail had lived in ShadowClan during his first few moons as a kit, and for two moons as an apprentice in the weirdest turn of events.

"Oh." The apprentice blinked his green eyes a few times.

"Hey," Thorntail meowed suddenly, "Do you only like Rosethorn?" Rosethorn herself let out a sharp gasp that Thorntail would come right out and ask the question – but the gray cat had always been rather blunt.

Silverpaw looked startled at the question, but answered. "Well…no…" he admitted. "But I do like her."

Rosethorn noticed that Thorntail's fur on his shoulders started to bristle, and that he had begun to sheathe and unsheathe his claws. "Well, if you like," Thorntail meowed his voice filled with chips of ice, "I could introduce you to some of the she-cats in ThunderClan. I know many she-cats," he put in mischievously. "Maybe you'd start to like one of them…"

Silverpaw shook his head, declining the offer.

"Fox-dung!" Thorntail swore leaping into the air. "You just never learn your lesson, do you?" Rosethorn guessed that Thorntail took Silverpaw's 'no' as 'I really, really, really, like Rosethorn, and I'll never like any other she-cat.' How Thorntail had got that, was beyond the ginger cat, but still, before Thorntail could claw his apprentice's ears off, she rushed between them.

"StarClan, Thorntail, stop it." She growled, "I think there's something in the Warrior Code about murdering you apprentice."

"Can you prove it?" Thorntail hissed. "I want some solid proof that you didn't make that up."

"That's common sense!" Rosethorn snapped, furious.

…

Rosethorn was relieved that Thorntail was calm by the time he walked her back to camp – Silverpaw had joined some patrol with Twilightfur and Badgerclaw before there was time for Thorntail to kill his apprentice.

"You got to watch out for that tom," Thorntail growled, as they slipped through the gorse tunnel. "He looks sweet – but he's from ShadowClan, alright. So sneaky," Rosethorn was about to tell him that Silverpaw did not have a drop of ShadowClan blood in his veins, but decided against it.

"I guess I was meddling too much," Rosethorn admitted referring to how she pushed for Thorntail to speak to Silverpaw again.

Thorntail didn't look at her as he spoke. "I don't care." He growled. "Just don't meddle any more!"

Rosethorn flinched at his harsh words, but still somehow found the courage to continue, "You know, he really was hurt by what you said. He was standing alone outside the apprentice's den, just looking at the ground…"

Thorntail stumbled to a halt, and looked thoughtful for a moment. "He's not hurt at all." He finally told her, his voice a low growl. He leveled his ice-blue gaze with hers, "If he was really hurt, he wouldn't be able to stare me in the eye for a moon – he'd at least so some fear. I mean, I clawed him for StarClan's sake!" he shook his head violently. "But he stared me square in the eye when I spoke to him." Thorntail's eyes were as cold as leaf-bare as he went on, "His mental state isn't normal."

* * *

Now, I don't know if I agree with Thorntail's logic on sanity...but that's just what Thorntail thinks! Don't throw things at me! -hides-

I hope you enjoyed the chapter... Um...review and you'll get a...SILVERPAW PLUSHIE! YAY! I like Silverpaw...even if he is annoying...


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3! -tap dances- WHOOT! I'm really happy and surprised at all the reviews I got. Thank you all! I'm sorry, but this time I can't reply to you all...but I have read and appreciated every single one! THANK YOU SO MUCH! But I do have time and room to answer some of you. :D**

**FrostFire15- Yeah, if you dislike Silverpaw, give your plushie to your doggie! Here -hands old disgarded Shadenight plushie- I never liked her. (I ADMIT IT!) Do me a favor, and give her to your dog too! **

**xBrambleClawx- Yes, he is rather annoying in a jealous rage, huh? Well, this installment in the trilogy starts to show both Rosethorn's and Thorntail's...um...badder sides... And as for Silverpaw... I LOVE HIM TOO! -hugs Silverpaw- **

**Steeltalon- You're right - it's not nice to go "Snip snap" at your mate! BAD THORNTAIL! BAD!**

**Mapleleaf- She's there, but she's almost as old as an apprentice. All Dusktail has to do is watch her and make sure she doesn't fall off of a cliff...so I didn't mention her having to be watched/suckled by Sandpelt...because I guess...okay, I made a mistake! You caught me! -dies- **

**Strangefur- Well, actually, that chapter was 10 pages as always. This chapter is only 7, however. **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Shrewtail's mate is Flowertail, though I don't mention their relationship often... **

**Thank you all for reviewing! Enjoy!**

* * *

The medicine cat's fur tingled along her spine, as she rested her pale sapphire eyes on the small brown scrap of fur hardly even a tail's lengths away. For an instant, she wondered if she should even to catch it. Rosethorn wasn't the greatest hunter in the Clan. In fact she was one of the worst. This was because when she had been an apprentice, Flamesoul had left her to have to learn all the medicine cat herbs and remedies herself – with some help from Blueherb of RiverClan – and therefore, she hadn't had much time to get comfortable with hunting or fighting. If she tried to catch the mouse, and it cried out, it might ruin the hunt for some other warrior far off. She almost fled, but decided against it. When a mouse crosses your path in leaf-bare, no matter how bad of a hunter you are, you catch it. End of story.

Though she knew that she was as lopsided as a half-dead squirrel missing two legs as she stalked the creature, it didn't seem to notice her. She pounced, and miraculously was able to kill it before it could cry out. She gently buried it in a small mound of half-melted snow, and couldn't help but notice how leaf-bare was acting so topsy-turvy this time around. In the middle of leaf-bare, when The Blood was jumping about, you'd practically be mulled by sparrows and rabbits when you stepped out of camp, but now that the harsh season was coming to a close, the prey was hiding in their burrows – and therefore, were uncatchable. The memory of both Badgerclaw's_ and_ Icepelt's hunting patrols coming back to camp with hardly even a mouse-tail sent shivers down Rosethorn's ginger spine, and she silently thanks StarClan that they had allowed the mouse to cross her path – and had allowed her to send it to…wherever mice went when they were eaten.

She let out a purr, finally allowing herself to feel some pride over her catch – but cut it off short, as she recalled how Thorntail had been acting recently. She hadn't ever seen him act so jealous before. Sure, he had had his fits, and had made snide comments to her once or twice…but he hadn't ever went as far as to claw the other tom! And not to mention the cold, malicious gaze Thorntail had had in his ice-blue eyes as he had spoken to Silverpaw…

Thorntail's eyes had been like that all the time when Rosethorn had first gotten to know him – empty, hollow…and if they were filled with an emotion, it was usually hatred or spite. As they had gotten to know each other more, his eyes started to match his personality – cheerful, and sometimes sarcastic. But now… he had gone back to his old expression. With the kind of eyes that stare right through you. The kind of eyes Silverpaw had.

Rosethorn shook the thought away. What was she doing – comparing Thorntail to Silverpaw like that?! They were total opposites! She couldn't think of a thing they had in common.

Under her fur she blushed. Besides their padding after her, that is.

She bent her head down to give her chest a few licks before she would pad back to camp. However, as she did so, her long, ginger tail brushed against something warm…and furry. She turned her head sharply.

"Silverpaw…"

…

Rosethorn was the one who was keeping her eyes on her paws, as she padded side-by-side with the apprentice ThunderClan tom. She hadn't noticed that he had been there before, until her tail brushed up against him. His scent was so faint; it was almost non-existent, so she hadn't been able to detect him. How long had Silverpaw been there?

"Thanks, Rosethorn." Silverpaw was purred, distracting Rosethorn from her thought for a moment, as he padded along beside her – a small, kittish bounce in his step. Rosethorn nodded blankly, as she glanced at the ravine that would dip into the ThunderClan camp. She had just been taking him back home, and then she was supposed to go and meet with Thorntail...She knew she should feel relief that she could finally leave the starlight-colored tom, and go find her true mate…But it certainly wasn't relief that she felt… More like… _Disappointment_.

"I'm still not used to the territory yet – I probably never would've gotten back to camp without you." Silverpaw's purr rumbled in his throat, and Rosethorn purred as well – still not lifting her sapphire gaze from her paws. Silverpaw was the exact opposite of Thorntail! Thorntail was loud, obnoxious, and sarcastic…and warm…. While Silverpaw was quiet, calm, polite…and seemed almost…so…so…cold, in a weird way. But…if that was true why was she feeling so…so…_so…_

Rosethorn glanced at the sky, and let out a startled squeak at how much time had passed. "It's almost Sun-high…" she muttered. To Silverpaw, she added, "I promised Thorntail that I would meet him at the Owl Tree when his ShadowClan border patrol ended… I should get…" she cut herself off abruptly with a small squeak, as she realized what that implied.

The leaf-green eyes of the pearly tom suddenly lit up with understanding, and Rosethorn stumbled about in her mind, hoping to come up with a way to discredit what she had just said… But all she could think about was how she deserved to have her spirit end up in The Place of No Stars! She might have well have just told Silverpaw that she was in love with Thorntail – it would just save the sterling tom a few heartbeats of thinking and realization!

"Oh." Silverpaw shrugged. "Is he escorting you while you look for herbs or something?"

Rosethorn blinked, and felt rather light-headed from the relief. "Um…yeah," she purred, as she finally regained her composure. As she turned around, she meowed, "He's one of my best friends, so he usually helps me." That wasn't a _complete_ lie.

Silverpaw let out a purr of amusement. "That's nice," he narrowed his eyes in thought. "I really don't have anyone that I trust, so I guess I'm a little envious."

Rosethorn let out a startled mew of surprise. What had Silverpaw just said? Well, she knew what it said…but for a heartbeat she could've sworn that she saw…a glimmer of herself as an apprentice, pre-Thorntail speaking the words that the former ShadowClan cat had just uttered. Then she remembered something.

"What about Twilightfur and Gingerkit?" Rosethorn asked, naming two sisters.

The apprentice shrugged his shoulders, "We haven't really seen…eye to eye, recently." He told her, and Rosethorn's whiskers twitched in surprise. She had assumed that they would be close – especially being the only kin one another had in a new Clan. But…apparently she had been wrong.

Silverpaw leapt to his paws. "Bye, Rosethorn." He mewed, turning his back on her to slip into the gorse tunnel.

Before Rosethorn could re-think her words, she meowed,

"Um…Silverpaw," and the tom stopped in his tracks. She went on. "Would you like to come with me?"

…

As the two cats neared the Owl Tree, Silverpaw's voice echoed in Rosethorn's ears.

"But…won't Thorntail be mad?" he asked, and Rosethorn forced herself to let out a purr.

"Of course not!" she chuckled flicking her tail – though she could just hear Thorntail's disgusted snarl, _You're meddling again! _

Silverpaw looked doubtful, and he opened his petite jaws to answer, when he leaf-green eyes rounded and he flexed his claws – which were as silver as his pelt. "WindClan." He growled, and Rosethorn flinched – as she too noticed the tangy scent of the lithe warriors of the north.

At first she was curious to where they were, but then she noticed – and her heart lurched. They were a couple of fox-lengths away, though they were slightly hidden behind the trunk of a rather large tree…but Rosethorn could _clearly_ see three of them. A brown tabby, a golden-brown queen, and a pretty tortoiseshell.

"What are they doing here?" Rosethorn hissed softly to Silverpaw, as she crouched down. The feminine-looking tom's eyes narrowed and he looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Stealing prey." He told her after a moment, and Rosethorn blinked. Why would WindClan risk stealing prey, now of all times? They were still weak from the attack on them from when RiverClan, ThunderClan, and ShadowClan formed together for an all-or-nothing strike of revenge for causing The Blood – and then ThunderClan had picked off even _more_ when the pesky quick cats had attacked their camp in an attempt to make Spottedlight leader of _two_ Clans… And now, WindClan was filled with only she-cats – no toms, according to the ThunderClan warriors who had gone to the most recent Gathering. That meant that…well, WindClan would be snuffed out by nature soon enough – but why speed the experience up by enraging ThunderClan?

"Do you think we should go back to camp?" she asked Silverpaw, and turned her head to where the tom had been sitting beside her…and noticed that he was…gone.

She blinked, confused, and flashed her gaze ahead of her to where she saw Silverpaw slithering forward. Fear jolted through her. Was he crazy? He was an apprentice, she was a medicine cat – and those she-cats were three fully trained WindClan _warriors_! She wanted to yowl out that it would be a suicide – but doing that would give Silverpaw away, and ruin any chances of his survival. So instead, she let out a warning hiss – which Silverpaw blatantly ignored.

_Mouse-brain! _Rosethorn thought begrudgingly. _They'll kill you! _

Hoping to somehow back Silverpaw up, she started to stalk towards the WindClan cats with him. As she did so, her scarlet-colored pelt brushed against his sterling silver one, and Rosethorn couldn't help but notice how soft, and silky it was… So much like a she-cat's…but, at the same time, totally different.

She shook her thoughts away. She loved Thorntail, for StarClan's sake! And, what's more, there were WindClan cats within sight! This was no time to be thinking about how soft a Clanmate's fur was! Even if it was silky!

Once her thoughts on toms in general were out of her mind, she narrowed her sapphire eyes as she realized that she had counted correctly. Three WindClan she-cats – of course. Now that she could see them, Rosethorn could put names on two of them. The lion colored warrior she recognized as Runningwhisker, while the tortoiseshell was Moortail. The brown tabby was a stranger to her, but whoever she was, she didn't look very friendly.

"Moortail, we should get out of here." Runningwhisker's emerald eyes flashed about in alarm as she spoke to her Clanmate. "We're too far from camp…"

"Hush." Moortail snapped, shifting into a stalking crouch – that Rosethorn couldn't help but notice was even more lopsided then she had been when hunting her own mouse earlier - "I smell vole…"

As soon as Moortail said it, Rosethorn too recognized the clear scent of vole, and she wanted nothing more then to run after it in an attempt to catch it, but she knew if she did that, the WindClan cats would see her…and even though she was a medicine cat and therefore protected by the Warrior Code… she doubted that would protect her. If they were in the mood for following the laws set down by their Warrior Ancestors, would they be stealing prey?

"And _I_ smell ThunderClan." Runningwhisker pressed, "We should get out of here…"

Instinct yowled at Rosethorn at the top of his lungs to leap to her paws and get out of there as soon as she could, but she refused to leave her new friend and Clanmate, Silverpaw!

However, her instinct's yowls were drowned out by Moortail's, as a silver blur rammed tackled the warrior to the ground. For a heartbeat, Rosethorn thought that a StarClan cat had fallen from the skies to beat Moortail senseless…but then she noticed that Silverpaw wasn't next to her anymore. He was fast, and quiet. That was for sure.

The apprentice's weight had knocked Moortail off of her paws, but though the tortoiseshell was hurt, her Clanmates weren't, and it wasn't long until Runningwhisker rushed to her friend's aid, and swiped ferociously at Silverpaw – before finally lashing her head out and digging her fangs into Silverpaw's neck.

"Silverpaw!" Rosethorn yowled her voice echoing against the trees, and for the first time in seemed, the WindClan cats noticed her. She looked around wildly. "Stop it!" she ordered, not even sure who she was yowling at, the WindClan cats or at Silverpaw to just stop the futile attack.

Rosethorn was so focused on the young tom, that she hardly even heard the sharp voice of the tabby, as it hissed, "Fox-dung to this!" Though she did feel the sharp talons of the she-cat slice down her face, and the pain it felt. She let out a hurt mew, as she felt the thin stream of blood trickle down her face.

Rosethorn shook her head violently, sending scarlet flecks of blood flying through the air.

Once she was done, she flashed her gaze around, looking for the tabby, and was surprised to see that at some point of another, Silverpaw had gotten away from Moortail – who was definitely not ready to quit, as she was already starting to pace threateningly towards the apprentice yet again – but Silverpaw didn't seem to notice, or care.

Instead, he was focused on the brown tabby, which he had somehow gotten to fall onto her side. For a moment, Rosethorn was curious to what he was doing, when he let out a yowl of victory, and dug his fangs into her…neck!

Silverpaw was trying to kill her!

"Silverpaw!" she cried fear for the enemy warrior flowing through her, but Silverpaw didn't seem to hear her yowl – and didn't let go for her.

He let go because _Thorntail_ had grabbed his apprentice's scruff and lifted him from the tabby. Rosethorn for an instant was curious to what had happened to Runningwhisker and Moortail – when she noticed that Runningwhisker had gotten a severe injury in her leg and had fallen to her side, and Moortail looked to be defending her friend – her eyes daring for Thorntail, Rosethorn, or Silverpaw to come towards her, so she would have an excuse to claw their eyes out for her revenge.

Thorntail's gaze leveled with Silverpaw's – who met it unblinking. "Are you trying to kill her?" Thorntail asked Silverpaw curiously – who didn't answer…Silverpaw just went on staring.

Before Silverpaw could answer – if, in fact, he was going to – it seemed to hit Moortail what had almost happened to her Clanmate, and she let out a curse to the sky before pounding towards the two toms.

Thorntail rolled his eyes, and lunged at Moortail, knocking the she-cat down. While still looming over her, he looked around curiously – and for the first time seemed to notice Rosethorn.

"Who hurt the medicine cat?" he asked suddenly, sweeping his gaze from Moortail, Runningwhisker, to the tabby. The gray cat seemed to have a suspicion that it was Moortail, because he dug his front claws into her neck, before she could get to her paws.

She let out a startled squeak, and Rosethorn's eyes widened as she saw the amount of blood Thorntail had gotten on his forepaws from the first fray. It must've hurt a great deal, because suddenly Moortail burst out, "No! No! It wasn't me!"

"Then who?" Thorntail's voice was cold.

At first, Moortail didn't look like she was going to rat out her Clanmate – no matter how much pain she endured, but Thorntail seemed quick to find a solution. Using, in fact, more pain then she could endure, proving Rosethorn's first assumption wrong. He used his jaws to dig into Moortail's ear, and then, used his strength to force Moortail's head into the air. He held it there fore a few heartbeats, while the she-cat yowled in agony, and then he slammed it upon the ground once more, and Rosethorn cringed, not even able to imagine how much pain that would inflict.

Moortail was loyal, but Rosethorn supposed that she had her priorities. "It was Rabbtifur! Rabbitfur!" Rosethorn guessed that that was the tabby's name.

Satisfied, Thorntail got off of the tortoiseshell – who wasted no time in collecting Runningwhisker, and pelting off, leaving their Clanmate at the gray tom's mercy. Of which, from the look in the gray tom's pale blue eyes, there was a low supply of.

Rosethorn flicked her gaze over to Rabbitfur, who looked too terror-stricken to move.

Thorntail purred, and trotted towards her, his tail twitching with glee. He settled himself beside her, and leveled his sapphire gaze with her amber.

He lifted a claw into the air. "Okay. I'll be_ nice_ this time." Rabbitfur brightened a tad, and Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief. He would just let Rabbitfur off with a warning this time…

Then Rosethorn knew that she and Rabbitfur were off in their assumption of Thorntail's idea of 'nice'. "I'll let you choose." The ThunderClan warrior let out a raspy, malicious purr. "Your eyes or your ears. Which don't you need?" Rabbitfur let out a startled squeak, and for some reason Thorntail took this as an excuse to explain the pros-and-cons of each choice. "Without your eyes, toms won't like you as much, but without your ears you'll have trouble hearing orders." The gray cat's whiskers twitched in amusement as Rabbitfur looked around wildly for an escape, but then she seemed to notice that Silverpaw had taken a spot right behind her, his muscles tense, just waiting for her to try and make a get away…as he stared, in what seemed to be in awe at what his mentor was doing.

Rosethorn herself couldn't help but stare in pure horror at what her mate was doing. Her mate! She had known he had it in him…but all they were doing was stealing prey! Sure, it deserved a few cuts and scars – and Rabbitfur had clawed a medicine cat. It wasn't like the scratch on Rosethorn's cheek wouldn't heal! It would. Rabbitfur certainly had done nothing to earn losing two of the most important senses a warrior uses. What in the name of StarClan was Thorntail's problem

"Stop it!" she cried out, "Just stop it!" she shook her head violently. "That's enough! It's enough!"

Thorntail and Silverpaw glanced at her, as if neither one of the toms could figure out how Rosethorn could possibly find anything wrong with what Thorntail had been about to do, and during their lapse in attention, Rabbitfur scurried off with her eyes _and _ears intact, her fear scent following her like maggots on crowfood.

Thorntail watched the brown she-cat go for a few heartbeats, before turning around, and trotting towards Rosethorn. She flattened her ears against her head, as he flicked out his tail to rest on her shoulder. How could he think that everything could be okay after she just saw…what she saw? She brushed his gray limb away with her own tail, and let out a sharp warning growl.

Thorntail looked startled, and didn't seem to know what to say for a few moments. "Rosethorn?" finally mewed, staring Rosethorn worryingly in the eye. "You okay?"

Rosethorn at first shook her head no, but then changed her mind and nodded. "I'm…I'm fine," she told him. "Just freaked out, that's all…"

Thorntail nodded, maybe finally understanding her reasoning. He glanced away from her for a moment, at what Rosethorn could only guess, before he turned his full attention back on her. "Well, you go to the Owl Tree and wait for me like we promised to. I'll be there in a heartbeat." He promised.

Rosethorn hesitated. Why couldn't they go together? Did she even want to be with him today after what she saw? Sure, she still loved him…but maybe she needed to separate herself from the gray cat for a dawn or so…so she'd have time to think things over.

She decided against it. Thorntail was a very handsome cat, and though his 'official' mate in the eyes of the Clan was Applefur, other she-cats still looked at him from afar. If he got lonely, she didn't have to guess what he would end up doing with those pretty she-cats.

"Fine," she muttered, turning away from him.

…

Thorntail's sapphire eyes were hooked to the ginger she-cat until she padded out of sight – and for a moment was tempted to call out to her, suddenly unsure if he had made the right decision in sending her off alone, considering WindClan cats were scurrying about. He shook the thought away. She wouldn't be alone for long – he'd be with her soon.

He turned to Silverpaw, recalling the reason he had asked for Rosethorn to leave them. Anger surged through him, and he curled his lip into a snarl. "What did you think you were doing?" he growled, feeling his hackles rise. "If I hadn't stopped you, you would've killed that WindClan cat."

Silverpaw met his gaze, unflinching as he spoke. "Rosethorn would've been hurt even more if I didn't react." He pointed out, his voice icily calm. "We were outnumbered – sending one off to StarClan was the only way I could be sure to protect her." Silverpaw shrugged his shoulders, and swiped his tongue around his mouth. "Besides, even if I _had _killed Rabbitfur, she'd have been at fault. She was in our territory, and she harmed a medicine cat." His eyes narrowed into emerald slits. "You seemed to think so too." Silverpaw was referring to Thorntail's threat about Rabbitfur's ears and eyes.

As Silverpaw spoke, Thorntail nodded blankly, suddenly agreeing with Silverpaw's reasoning. "I wouldn't really give a mouse-tail if Rabbitfur died and you got off just as some cat that defended ThunderClan territory." He admitted, flicking his tail dismissively. "But I _wouldn't_ forgive you if Rosethorn was hurt." He let out a snarl to make a point.

Silverpaw's eyes widened slightly, and he nodded. "I'm relieved..." The tom sighed, and Thorntail gave his apprentice a curt nod, before turning away from him to catch up with his mate…but before he could, Silverpaw finished his statement.

"…that you haven'tchanged at all."

* * *

**Yes, Silverpaw knows something... -shifty eyes- Anyways, I hope you all got the point that Thorntail went a little nuts, and that's why Rosethorn was like 'Grr grr!' I mean...did you ever see Fireheart threaten to claw off an enemy warrior's eyes/ears just for tresspassing? So yeah...it was abnormal. I think I could've wrote that better, but meh. Too lazy to fix. **

**Anywho's, review, and you'll get a..an angry Thorntail plushie! -points- Now, some of my older reviewers already have a Thorntail/Graywhisker (with a hallow taped on the latter's head) plushie, but this one is ANGRY! See? It has the eyebrows down in a 'V' shape. **

**Review please! **


	5. Chapter 4

**Why hadn't I uploaded in the past few days? Anger. And fury. Guess what everyone? Somebody stole the prequeal to this fic - word for word - and posted it up on another fanfiction site claiming that they wrote it. I commented on it, saying that it wasn't theirs...and...nothing happened yet. I wasn't in the mood to write - kind of thinking that they're just going to steal it - but I got out of that quickly. I'm still angry though. My fanfiction isn't that well written - they could write their own in a matter of minutes! Come of with a story, type it, and there you go! STOP STEALING MINE!**

**So, I bet you're saying 'Well, since it's a long wait, It is a better written chapter.' Wrong. This is probably one of my worst written chapters, but I know if I'll never bring myself to go back and fix it up with more description and feeling and such...because...I know I won't. Forgive me.**

**I'll exchanged Thorntail's peculiar actions at the end Author's note...So if you're curious about them as you read this chapter - please be patient and accept it!**

**Rabbitstorm - I liked your review!**

**Watersoul - Fine. -throws sandwich- here.**

**Mapleleaf- POOR RABBITFUR! I know...but she clawed Rosethorn! That ain't nice! -shakes fist- Though Thorntail DID over react a tad...**

**Otterpelt -THANKS! That is a HUGE Compliment.**

**lmblovesmilk - You just want him to say 'Oh, hi Rosethorn, nice day, huh? Anyways, I thought I should say I love you' No. The moment - especially for a romance fic - has to be JUST Right. :) That's why I haven't made him say it to her yet...**

**Strangefur- I love your predictions...**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Graywhisker is a big part of the story, but you'll notice that Thorntail will very rarely - if ever, bring him up. And since Rosethorn knows that it sort of...bothers him since he indirectly murdered his closest kin...she doesn't bring it up often. But he is a big shadow on their relationship... And is a very important dead character:) I have Ebonypaw's warrior name planned...but she just started training about a moon ago. -cocks head to one side- She ain't ready yet!**

**Okay. As for everyone who submitted kitties, I am going to be putting them into the allegiances - soon! If any of you have any more names to add, however, I'd love to add them!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

_I always knew that Thorntail had it in him, _Rosethorn thought, as she took a small nibble from the mouse Ebonypaw had offered to share with her.

Rosethorn pictured how cold Thorntail's ice blue eyes had been as he glared at the helpless Rabbitfur, snarling his threats… She always knew that he could do it…but to see it up close like that…how willingly Thorntail had been to…hurt another cat like that. Sure, Rabbitfur was an enemy warrior, but Rosethorn could never recall a cat enjoying watching cats of another Clan in pain. Sure, they'd inflict if they had to, to defend their own Clan…but never did they show such intense joy… Thorntail had acted like it he was having the time of his life yesterday. He didn't seem to care that it would ruin the rest of the poor WindClan cat's life – both the eyes and ears were needed for being a warrior… Rabbitfur would've had to join WindClan's elders – and she looked like she couldn't have had her warrior name for scarcely over a moon! And if Rosethorn hadn't stopped Thorntail… She didn't want to think of what would've happened if she hadn't been there.

Rosethorn suddenly recalled Thorntail's voice, echoing from a few sunrises ago…when the rest of the Clan had been at a Gathering. He had said… _There are cruel and warped parts of me… _

Rosethorn closed her eyes, pained. She thought she had understood it. She thought she could forgive it. She had thought that she liked him anyway.

"Rosethorn,"

Rosethorn looked up – the voice had sounded so much like Applefur's…except squeakier. Had Applefur gotten sick – like Onepaw?

She let out a purr of amusement, as she realized that it wasn't Applefur who had came into her den – but her daughter, a black kitten with a large red spot, named Petalkit.

"Hiya, Petalkit." Ebonypaw purred, giving the kitten a swift lick as she approached, "How are you?"

Petalkit stared blankly at Ebonypaw, her yellow eyes round with awe, as if she couldn't believe that the medicine cat apprentice had actually acknowledged her. Then the kit turned her attention to Rosethorn. "Mommy says…she says…Mommy says…" Petalkit looked confused, as she tried to remember.

"Does your mother want me to come and see her?" Rosethorn asked, but Petalkit shook her head, as if that wasn't even a possibility.

Finally, Petalkit seemed to remember. "Mommy says that Thorntail says…he says…Oh! Mommy says that Daddy wants to see you."

For a moment, Rosethorn thought that Petalkit was referring to her actual father – Blackshadow – but then remembered that Blackshadow had given up his rights to father them, and now everyone in the Clan, including the kits, believed that Thorntail was Applefur's mate.

"Where is your father?" Rosethorn asked.

"Outside the Gorse Tunnel, Mommy says." Petalkit's eyes rounded in fear. "You don't think that he hurt himself, do you?"

"I doubt it," Ebonypaw put in, a mischievous look in her emerald eyes as it dawned on the apprentice what Thorntail wanted – and Rosethorn recalled that Ebonypaw knew of her and Thorntail's relationship. "Petalkit, don't worry. Now, I think you should go back to your Mommy – yes you should."

"Oh." Petalkit blinked, and then accepted Ebonypaw's order without question. "Okay. Buh-bye." The ginger-and-black kitten scurried out of the den faster then Rosethorn could say 'good-bye'.

"Do you mind if I go?" she asked Ebonypaw curiously, and her apprentice shook her head.

"Can't stop true love." She meowed thoughtfully, and Rosethorn stared blankly at her – recalling that Ebonypaw had been seeing a ShadowClan apprentice, Marshpaw, for awhile. Had the black cat gone back to her old roots? Had she ever even stopped?

"What are you waiting for?" Ebonypaw huffed. "Get out 'o here."

Rosethorn hesitated, but finally padded out of the den, leaving Ebonypaw alone in the den – with the mouse all to herself.

…

Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief, as she caught the gray tom's gaze with her own. For some reason, she had imagined that he would be how he had been when he had attempted to avenge her from the WindClan cats – malicious, cruel, and bloodthirsty. But, she couldn't see that cat now. Instead she just saw her beloved, slightly sarcastic, Thorntail.

"How's your cut?" he asked her as she approached – referring to the small slash Rabbitfur had given her earlier.

"Fine. It'll heal soon." She purred, touching her nose to his in a greeting.

"Really?" Thorntail blinked, curiously, and tentatively moved his tail towards her face, possibly to check if it really was getting better. Instinctively, Rosethorn used one of her front paws to brush it away – just as she did yesterday, but instantly realized her mistake. Before Thorntail could feel hurt that his mate kept pushing him away, she intertwined her tail with his, and let out a purr.

"So, do you want to go hunt or something together tomorrow?" Thorntail asked her curiously, and Rosethorn thought for a moment.

"Won't you spend half of your day hunting?" she asked, recalling all the patrols that had been coming back empty-pawed. Streamstar had insisted that the medicine cats be fed just as quickly as the elder and the queens – considering Greencough was starting to bounce about, and they needed their strength. But even with the warriors deliberately hunting with their two medicine cats in mind, all Ebonypaw and Rosethorn had gotten was a mouse between them. "Won't you be too tired?"

At this, Thorntail let out a raspy purr. "Nope. Icepelt and I found an excellent place to hunt – it's filled with prey!"

"Oh…did you tell Sandpelt?" Rosethorn asked, naming the Clan deputy, who would probably be interested in a piece of ThunderClan territory that had prey falling gout of the sky.

Thorntail hesitated before answering. "Yeah…yeah, I did." He muttered, looking away, and Rosethorn's mind wracked with curiosity. Was Thorntail hiding something? Why in the name of StarClan had he been so hesitant in answering?

She didn't get to dwell on that long, however, because the warrior suddenly mewed, "You want to go to SunningRocks?" he wasn't referring to going there now – he clearly meant to go there tomorrow, after he hunted for the Clan.

Rosethorn let out a purr. "Okay!" she chuckled. "It'll be fun."

"True, we haven't been alone together for while." Thorntail agreed, licking her gently on the ear. He backed away – rather suddenly, and let out a purr. "I think I should go hunting again – I kind of want to eat tonight."

"Alright." Rosethorn dipped her head to him, and turned around to head back into the Gorse Tunnel. "Bye, Thorntail."

…

Thorntail dropped into a hunting crouch, and slowly stalked towards the small blackbird – the blackbird that was so busy cleaning off of its wings, it did not notice the cat's approach. Thorntail senses yowled out several signs to him that he should forget the blackbird and go on with his life – on of his most powerful senses, smell, yowled the loudest – telling him of the pungent scent of ShadowClan around him. However, when one's hunting in ShadowClan territory, you are bound to smell the stinky cats. It was a hard fact, but true.

The warmth of the small ebony-colored bird made the gray cat's heart race. Unable to contain himself anymore, he leapt onto the piece of prey, and turned it into fresh-kill with a quick bite. Then he quickly buried it with snow, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

"Nice catch, Thorntail!" Icepelt's purr came from just fox-lengths away, and Thorntail blinked gratefully up at her. Badgerclaw and Blackshadow, though loyal friends of his, were apparently more loyal to the Warrior Code, and had refused to steal ShadowClan prey – Icepelt, however, apparently felt the same way about ShadowClan prey that Thorntail did. If it wasn't in their camp, then it wasn't very well theirs, was it? And if he happened to find a patrol, he'd get out of there as soon as possible – he wouldn't go slashing away at a medicine cat like _some_ cats he knew.

"Thanks." He meowed, giving her a curt nod. Icepelt flicked her tail, and she too dropped into a low crouch and stalked off towards some prey.

Thorntail watched her for a few moments, before he hard a sharp mew in his ear.

"Your 'excellent' place to hunt is in ShadowClan territory?"

Thorntail nearly leaped out of his fur, and looked around wildly, half-expecting to see a ferocious ShadowClan patrol, or worse! Rosethorn, figuring out that he was breaking the Warrior Code!

Nope, it was neither.

The small, thin sterling-silver tom had his tail wrapped around his legs, with his head cocked to one side as his leaf-green eyes stared right through Thorntail. Silverpaw.

Thorntail blinked, confused. If Silverpaw… was Silverpaw… how did he know that Thorntail had referred to ShadowClan territory as an excellent place to hunt to Rosethorn?

Thorntail raised an eyebrow. "Silverpaw, you're pretty much stalking me."

He expected for his apprentice to rush to defend himself, but Silverpaw instead meowed, "I'm not just stalking you." Before Thorntail could comment – or even realize how creepy that was – the feminine-looking tom continued, "Anyways, can we go somewhere and have a training session?"

Thorntail rolled his eyes. "No." he growled. "And you shouldn't even be here – this is ShadowClan territory."

The apprentice's eyes narrowed into slits, "And you were given permission by Smokestar to steal his prey?" Silverpaw asked, naming not only the ShadowClan leader, but one of the cats that Thorntail disliked the most in the forest – and Thorntail knew that Smokestar wasn't exactly fond of him either. Thorntail's mother, Lightsnow, had been born in RiverClan. However, after falling in love with a ShadowClan tom she wanted to join ShadowClan so they could be together without sneaking across one another's territories. But she doubted that she would be allowed to join the Clan with her mate being only a warrior – who would listen to him? So she made the ShadowClan deputy – who was, at the time, Smokestar – fall hopelessly in love with her, and used him and his position to be accepted into the Clan. However, she broke his heart, and once she was in the Clan, went back to the mate she had wanted in the first place. That tom was Thorntail's father.

"Yes I have." Thorntail meowed smugly. "He said I could steal all the prey I wanted because he accepted that ThunderClan is a greater Clan than his."

Silverpaw didn't seem to believe his blatant lie, and Thorntail, hoping that eventually the silver cat would go away if he ignored him long enough, turned his attention on a small magpie that – he couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it – had a broken wing, and was tumbling around on the ground just fox-lengths away. He dropped into a low stalking crouch, and instantly felt silly for doing so. The black bird had a broken wing for StarClan's sake! It wasn't going to fly off if it saw him.

He calmly padded over to it, and before it could let out a caw of fear, he took a swift bite – and enjoyed the small metallic taste of blood that entered his mouth as the bird took its last breath.

He looked up from his catch, to see that Silverpaw was still standing there, his beautiful leaf-green eyes still fixed on his mentor – who was starting to feel shivers crawl up his spine.

"If I train you, will you go away?" Thorntail asked.

"Not permanently." _Fox-dung_. "But…I will leave you alone for…now, if you come with me somewhere."  
This time it was Thorntail's turn to narrow his eyes into slits. "Are you trying to…" he trailed off, his eyes now widening. Silverpaw was feminine…but surely, he wasn't like _that!_

Silverpaw didn't answer Thorntail's implied question, and instead meowed: "You want me to become a warrior soon, don't you? I need a training session."

Thorntail almost told the feminine-tom that he didn't care if Silverpaw kept his apprentice name and rank until the end of his days, but then it hit him – if Silverpaw got his warrior name, he wouldn't have to deal with him anymore.

"Fine." He growled, deciding that Icepelt could take care of herself in ShadowClan territory. He started to pad back towards ThunderClan territory, but then noticed that Silverpaw hadn't moved. "The Sandy Hollow is back in our territory," Thorntail pointed out, but Silverpaw shook his head.

"I want to show you something." He mewed.

Thorntail's tail flicked with annoyance. Why couldn't Silverpaw just make up his mind? Was it hard? "You said you wanted to train." Thorntail pointed out.

Silverpaw's ears twitched. "Do you want to train?"

Thorntail was pretty sure that Silverpaw knew the answer to that one, so he didn't answer. "Where do you want to go?" he muttered, deciding that wherever Silverpaw wanted to go, one way or another the starlight-colored tom would get his mentor there. Not particularly in the mood for arguments, Thorntail made the decision to just follow his apprentice blindly.

…

The sterling apprentice seemed to more or less dip into a hollow, and Thorntail hesitated before following him. Silverpaw had led him deep into ShadowClan territory. Very deep. It was vaguely familiar from the gray tom's kit-hood, and his two-moons of apprenticeship spent in the dark Clan's territory, but it wasn't nearly as familiar as RiverClan or ThunderClan territories were for him – or felt as safe. ShadowClan cats had almost a sick need to defend their territory. If a patrol caught them…Thorntail didn't want to think about that. Yes, once before in a very peculiar battle between RiverClan and ShadowClan when he was still of the watery Clan's allegiances he had taken on three of Smokestar's warriors at once – but then, he had been defending, placed firmly in his territory already…he had no need to return home. What's more, he now had Silverpaw holding him back. Could the effeminate tom really defend himself?

To make matters worse, if an enemy patrol was in a good mood that day and decided to escort them back to the ShadowClan camp, Thorntail doubted that he would go back home to ThunderClan without having lost over half of his blood. Thorntail didn't need StarClan to tell him that Smokestar despised him.

Silverpaw's hiss from inside the hollow that the apprentice had entered jolted his mentor from his thoughts, and Thorntail recalled that Silverpaw had requested that he follow him. He let out a sigh of annoyance, and followed the sterling tom into the indent of earth.

He blinked, startled, as he rested his paws on the bottom of the hollow. It was almost as soft as sand! Thorntail was tempted to roll in it like a kit, but he was pretty sure that Silverpaw would find that in bad taste. Around him – on the edges of the dip – were large, oddly leafy bushes – that darkened the area, and made it almost impossible for Thorntail to tell if it was day or night.

"This is a rather shady place…" Thorntail meowed thoughtfully, flickering his gaze around. "Why'd you bring me here?"

Silverpaw glanced at him, a playful look in his emerald eyes. "This is where we first met." He announced, and Thorntail blinked. Hadn't they first met in the ThunderClan camp, when Thorntail had reared up on his hind legs in an argument with Blackshadow and rammed the silver tom right into his face?

"You don't remember?" Silverpaw asked, stepping towards him, and Thorntail thought for a moment. Yes, something felt familiar about this place…but he couldn't place his claw on it.

Silverpaw looked at his paws, and explained. "I was half-dead here, a few moons ago." He purred – and Thorntail had no idea how that could possibly be amusing. Silverpaw continued, "I was about to be killed by my mentor…and you saved me."

As Silverpaw's words tumbled from his mouth, Thorntail's tail curled as he was suddenly jolted by a memory. It was a little after Graywhisker died…

"It's not surprising that you don't remember." Silverpaw purred, flicking his tail with glee. "My silver fur was covered in blood – and was pure red. You probably don't recognize me…"

…

"You and Silverpaw knew each other before?" Rosethorn couldn't hide the surprise from her mew, as Thorntail explained to her of how his apprentice's past merged with his.

As her mate hesitated, Rosethorn couldn't keep herself from digging her muzzle into his flank. It had been so long since they had been alone with one another – when they weren't arguing or something… And she was overjoyed that he had gone to SunningRocks with her.

"We didn't really _know_ each other." Thorntail growled, and Rosethorn flicked her blue-gaze up at him. "We happened to encounter each other on our journey through life."

The gray warrior shifted uncomfortably, and Rosethorn removed her muzzle from his side, and took a few paw steps back She had a feeling that Thorntail was going to explain everything to her – and she didn't want to be so distracted by his warm, soft fur that she didn't hear something.

"Apparently I saved him before he could be killed by his mentor…"

"What kind of mentor would kill their apprentice?" Rosethorn burst out, her tail curling in horror. Well, she knew the kind of mentor that would do that to their apprentice…but she still had some trouble grasping the concept.

"I don't know." Thorntail shrugged. "Maybe it was a vigorous training session…or maybe Silverpaw said something stupid. Probably the latter…" he muttered, and Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head. Why did Thorntail hate Silverpaw so much? Couldn't he just accept his apprentice? Hadn't the young tom had enough trouble with his mentors now?

"Anyways," Thorntail went on, "I didn't really mean to save him. I was a little angry and slightly crazed in the moons after Graywhisker's death…and I was sleeping in ShadowClan territory…and the yowling woke me up…so I went to make them quiet down."

Rosethorn let out a sigh. That was Thorntail. Why he was sleeping in ShadowClan territory when he was a RiverClan cat…was anyone's guess. But everything else made perfect sense. After Thorntail's brother, Graywhisker, committed suicide by running into a monster on the Thunderpath Thorntail had acted…Speedtail had once called it abnormal. Okay, he had gone insane. He got so out of paw that he in the end had to stay in the RiverClan medicine cat's den for awhile, until she could calm him down enough so he would stop fighting his own Clanmates, drowning himself in the river by attempting to fight his own reflection – which looked exactly like Graywhisker, and, evidently, from taking naps in enemy Clan territory. She could easily imagine him getting annoyed by all the ruckus Silverpaw and his mentor would be making – and rushing into a battle so he could go back to sleep.

"I was really aggressive back then." Thorntail put in, practically echoing Rosethorn's thoughts…and she couldn't help but silently wonder if his aggression had truly disappeared…or just been hidden. She couldn't shake how he had reacted to Rabbitfur from her mind. "I still can't believe that Silverpaw is that same cat…" Thorntail shook his head. "He's older than I thought."

"Just around a little older than Dusktail." Rosethorn pointed out softly naming the youngest trained warrior in ThunderClan. But why hadn't Silverpaw completed his training yet? What had stopped him? When had he and his siblings left ShadowClan…they seemed to have been well fed when they joined ThunderClan…they couldn't have been loners for long…

"You're scared of me now, aren't you, Rosethorn?" Thorntail asked suddenly, leveling his gaze with hers, and Rosethorn almost stumbled back in surprise. Was it that obvious? Apparently, because Thorntail let out a sigh, "I know I sometimes have a lot of anger…" he was about to go on, but Rosethorn gently lay her tail on one of his paws, and shook her head, silently telling him not to go on. He didn't need to. Just the fact that he had brought it up meant that…well…

"Yes you do," she agreed, giving him a quick lick on the ear, "But I know that you have more warmth and kindness."

"Oh, Thorntail," she meowed suddenly, remembering something, "Will you come with me to the ShadowClan border? I need to get some more Night Flower…"

…

"Ha! Found some!" Thorntail let out a purr, as Rosethorn's joyous yowl entered his ears. Very rarely was Rosethorn so loud.

The ginger medicine cat padded towards him, he tail held high in pride as she carried the jet-black flowers in her jaws. Her sapphire eyes were brimming with joy, and she spat them out at the earth. She let out a purr, and Thorntail couldn't help but mingle his own with hers.

"I can't believe there's so many already!" she announced. "Swiftfoot will stop complaining about his sore throat, I guarantee you."

"I know." He licked her gently on the ear, and Rosethorn's purrs suddenly were cut short.

"Hey…I smell a faint smell…of you…" she looked quizzically up at him. "Did you come here earlier?"

"Yeah…" Thorntail suddenly remembered that he never told Rosethorn about his little journey into ShadowClan, "I…patrolled here."

"No you didn't." Rosethorn growled, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Sandpelt put you on the RiverClan border patrol."

"But I switched with Badgerclaw. He wanted to be with Twilightfur, who was supposed to check the RiverClan border with me…so…yeah." Rosethorn accepted his lie without another question, and Thorntail sustained a sigh of relief. What would she say if she found out that he was stealing prey from ShadowClan? (He would've stolen from WindClan, but their land was as almost as prey-poor as ThunderClan's…)

"Ah!" Rosethorn's startled squeak jolted him from his thoughts, and he sharply turned his head to see that…they were being invaded by ShadowClan!

Wait, no.

One ShadowClan cat was…padding across the Thunderpath.

He let out a purr as he saw who it was, and he turned to Rosethorn to put a stop to the fear scent that was crawling under her fur. "It's just Ravenfeather." He pointed out, and Rosethorn let out a hiss.

"Ravenfeather's the ShadowClan deputy." She pointed out. "Why is she-" Rosethorn broke off sharply as the black she-cat settled herself beside them.

"Greetings," she meowed formally, and Rosethorn echoed hew mew.

Thorntail growled a, "Hiya." Before he asked, "What are you doing on our side of the border?"

Ravenfeather stared blankly at him, "The same could be said about you, Thorntail." She meowed coolly, and Thorntail flattened his ears against his head as Rosethorn looked curiously at him.

"Go back to camp," he ordered her, attempting to make it sound like an important order – to protect her…or something.

The medicine cat hesitated, but finally she grabbed her Night Flower and padded off, leaving Thorntail alone with the ShadowClan deputy – who he noticed, was looking him over.

"Did you come all the way here just to confront me about that?" he growled.

Ravenfeather shook her head no. "We'll do that at a Gathering." She meowed ominously, and Thorntail flattened his ears against his head.

"Then what are you here for?" he growled, knowing that it would have to be important if a cat from ShadowClan would lay a paw outside of their borders – in the eyesight of enemy warriors.

"I was in the forest." Ravenfeather meowed smugly, and Thorntail couldn't help but wonder if they were somehow distantly related kin – that was the kind of answer he would give. "Are you getting along with your father?" she asked, and Thorntail just stared at her.

"Let's skip the small talk." He snarled, curling his upper lip to show his teeth. "What are you here for?"

"So perceptive." Ravenfeather sighed pouting slightly – and Thorntail knew that she was remembering the time when they had trained together as apprentices. She wasn't seeing him as an enemy warrior, but a long-lost Clanmates. He shifted uncomfortably. The last time a cat had done that – Shadenight – it had caused large problems, both emotional and physical.

She suddenly regained her composure, possibly remembering that the gray cat she was speaking to – who had also been her unofficial rival all through their lives, ever since an embarrassing defeat when they were still kits in the nursery – was an enemy warrior, not a long lost Clanmate. "Do you remember Silverpaw?" she asked suddenly.

"Why…" Thorntail meowed carefully not willing to reveal Silverpaw's whereabouts yet. He didn't like the cat, true, and had thought of numerous ways to bring him much harm…but if Smokestar wanted him he wouldn't get him. "Did he do something?"

"In a way." Ravenfeather meowed guardedly, and Thorntail quickly pieced together that it was something that had been deemed 'top secret' by the attempted-mysterious ShadowClan. "Do you know him?"

"Kind of." Thorntail purred, deciding to be just as frustrating to talk to as a ShadowClan cat – and Ravenfeather seemed to figure out that he was mocking her, because she gave him a sharp glance. Thorntail sighed. "I just found out…recently…very recently…" Yesterday. "That he was the apprentice I saved before. The one who was bleeding an extra river for the forest."

"And he joined ThunderClan?"

Thorntail sighed. If Ravenfeather knew – as she apparently did – there was no reason to attempt to keep it hidden. "Yes." He answered, still wondering what he been so important for the ShadowClan deputy to leave her territory.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence…" she meowed thoughtfully, "But I'm a little concerned that he joined the same Clan that you did…A lot of coincidences…"

Thorntail didn't ask about Ravenfeather adding 'A lot of coincidences' at first, instead he purred, jokingly, "What is it that has you so worried? Has ShadowClan marked him? Did he call a kit a name?"

Ravenfeather hesitated, but finally seemed to realize – just as he had – that it was a little ridiculous to have a private conversation without answering any of the other cat's questions. "Not calling a kit a name." she sighed. "Murder."

* * *

**YAY! Let's bring up Silverpaw's past now... Anyways, I know you're probably shaking your computer going 'THIS RAVENFEATHER THING IS TOOOOO RANDOM!' yeah. It is. But she's my favorite ShadowClan cat that I created, I wanted to give her a bigger part - and a ShadowClan cat was NEEDED for this. I couldn't exactly think of a subtle way for her to come...so she came the way she did.**

**As for Thorntail's hunting in ShadowClan territory - when he flipped out about WindClan hunting in his - he actually does have a REAL form of insanity that if you worked hard enough you could find out about. The cats don't ever use the names of the specific types...because...you know...They don't...yeah. But part of it would fit the characteristics of what Thorntail did, and, what's more, his hunting in ShadowClan is important to the plot! So forgive me! -bows-**

**As for the plushie...since this is SUCH a horrible chapter to read, as a reward for reviewing you will get a collector's set! Three different Rosethorn's - aging! One kit, one apprentice, and one full medicine cat...and three different Thorntail's - One kit, one apprentice, one warrior. PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you.**


	6. Chapter 5

**My computer's acting funny, and I can't reply to many of your reviews. Thanks for all your support against the EVIL thief, and...check the allegiances to see your kitties.**

* * *

Ravenfeather's amber eyes burned into Thorntail's sapphire, and he blinked curiously. Silverpaw? Murder? He didn't like how easily that equation added together.

"Murder?" he echoed, narrowing his eyes. "How do you mean?"

The ShadowClan deputy hesitated – not because she seemed to want to hide her Clan, but because she really didn't want to tell him. Finally, she admitted, "Technically it was an accidental killing. Close to self-defense."

Thorntail nodded blankly. How interesting. Silverpaw had killed a ShadowClan warrior… Why was Ravenfeather telling him of this though?

"Do you remember a golden-brown tom with amber eyes?" she asked him, and Thorntail shrugged.

"Not really…" he thought for a moment. "Wait, Goldpaw?" He had trained for a short time with that tom.

"His warrior name was Goldclaw." Ravenfeather informed him. She opened her mouth to go on, but Thorntail cut her off with a purr.

"All I really remember was that he fell into some black tar by the Thunderpath..." he purred as he recalled the tawny-colored tom slowly toddling back to camp – stinking with the stench of some of the black path that he had taken home. Poor cat – none of his Clanmates wanted to go near him. Even Graywhisker, Thorntail's brother, who had usually been so quiet and accepting, avoided him!

"Silverpaw killed him." Ravenfeather announced, and Thorntail couldn't help but gape. Goldclaw had been such a big tom! Big, strong, muscular – the generic great ShadowClan warrior! He was so large that numerous times at Gatherings he was mistaken for a warrior! "Goldclaw was the cat that you sent to the Medicine Cat's den a couple of seasons ago."

"I didn't know that that was his name." Thorntail muttered – trying to stifle a purr. He wasn't sure what emotion he should be feeling right now – but he was pretty sure he shouldn't be feeling proud of his apprentice for successfully killing the big tom… Funny how emotions worked sometimes.

Ravenfeather seemed to notice Thorntail's reluctance, and she raised an eyebrow. She shook her head then, probably deciding that it was best to let it go. "Anyways," she growled. "Goldclaw was an incurable nuisance to us." Thorntail's tail jolted up in surprise. Nuisance?! How could a big, strong warrior like that bother ShadowClan at all?

Ravenfeather explained, "He was always defying orders, fighting among his Clanmates, and…" she leveled her gaze with Thorntail's, "Stealing prey." Self-conscious of what Ravenfeather was implying, Thorntail began to give his ears a good wash.

"And…what was Silverpaw's connection with him?" he asked. "If Goldclaw was so bad, why'd you give him Silverpaw to mentor?"

Ravenfeather shrugged. "It seemed appropriate at the time. Goldclaw was the one who found Silverpaw while he was on a battle patrol – attacking RiverClan." Thorntail rolled his eyes. For seasons now, ShadowClan and RiverClan had had their claws locked. They never mentioned it at Gatherings, but every cat knew it. "When he found him, Silverpaw was half-starved and sick…as was Twilightfur." Ravenfeather shook her head violently, as if that wasn't important. "Anyways…we recognized Twilightfur's build looking very similar to Snowclaw's and…well…"

"Snowclaw?" Thorntail echoed, narrowing his eyes. "Who's Snowclaw?"

"None of your concern," Ravenfeather snapped, and Thorntail couldn't help but flinch. Why was Ravenfeather so reluctant to speak of this…Snowclaw cat. She didn't answer, however, and just went on, "Anyways, the fact is Goldclaw was the one who found Silverpaw, Gingerkit and Twilightfur. He had a strange fascination in them, and Twilightfur especially…we'd later find out why…" she muttered. "Anyways, we accepted them into the Clan…and Goldclaw became the mentor of Silverpaw…and there you go."

"I think that's the longest answer I've ever gotten from a ShadowClan cat." He purred, painfully aware of how odd Ravenfeather was looking at him. "So…why'd Silverpaw kill him?"

"Silverpaw and Goldclaw had a _weird _relationship." Ravenfeather sighed. "Goldclaw was possibly a the worst choice for a mentor we could've chosen…and he started using Silverpaw as a tool for…stress relief." Thorntail stumbled back in surprise.

"That's right." Ravenfeather purred. "Goldclaw would really fight Silverpaw. I mean…really fight him. But the time we found out, Goldclaw's violence had escalated…and Silverpaw, getting scared, killed him." She let out a sigh. "Goldclaw didn't see it coming. No cat ever expects that a Clanmate will kill them – much less their apprentice…and when he had his guard down, Silverpaw got him…"

Thorntail couldn't even utter a word – miraculously. For the first time, he felt a scrap of pity for the silver tom that was his apprentice. A violent mentor, a mother who seemed to have abandoned him, and to top it all off, he had Thorntail to deal with. Well, the last thing Silverpaw had brought upon himself…but still.

Ravenfeather continued, "Silverpaw lost it," she announced quietly, "he couldn't deal with the violence he had to endure every day…And Silverpaw was so young at the time… we couldn't exactly blame him for doing what he did – especially after realizing how much Goldclaw abused him…"

"In the end, we decided that during all the violence that Goldclaw had put him through, Silverpaw lost his sanity." Her voice lowered, "I've seen his scars Thorntail. We didn't notice what Goldclaw was doing, because all of Silverpaw's injuries were on his underbelly…and therefore…were invisible. But when I forced Silverpaw to show them to me…" she shook her head, "They are worse than any I have."

Thorntail squeaked in surprise. Ravenfeather was a seasoned fighter – that's why she was ShadowClan deputy. If Silverpaw's wounds were worse than hers…he had _bad _scars.

"That was a real pitiful story – very unfortunate too." Thorntail purred, giving her a curt nod. "But what's that got to do with me?"

The black she-cat flicked her tail dismissively. "There are too many similarities between you two for my liking. Not only is he half-ShadowClan and half-RiverClan…like you… He had to receive help from our medicine cat to retrieve his sanity _And_ he joined ThunderClan." She cocked her head to one side. "Isn't that interesting?"

"I thought…Silverpaw was a loner…"

"Born that way." Ravenfeather agreed. "But he shares no kin with any loner….Were you at the last Gathering?"

Thorntail shook his head, recalling the fever he had gotten – and how Rosethorn hadn't let him go.

Ravenfeather rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Well, you would have heard Duststar announce that his daughter, Tawnyleaf, the former medicine cat of RiverClan had gotten pregnant with kits – and had been exiled a few moons back. But he let her rejoin, since all her kits died – and he assumed that she had endured her punishment from StarClan." The black she-cat shook her head, discrediting her words as she spoke. "Tawnyleaf's kits never died."

Thorntail's whiskers twitched in surprise. In other words, Silverpaw, Twilightfur, and Gingerkit were Tawnyleaf's kits. Of the three, only Gingerkit resembled the former RiverClan medicine cat, however, and he guessed that both Twilightfur and Silverpaw took after their father. He was curious about Tawnyleaf's story, and if RiverClan knew of her litter, but decided against asking them. That was really all the information he needed to know. So…Tawnyleaf's double-illegal mate (she was a medicine cat, and her beloved had been in another Clan) had been a ShadowClan tom…

Ravenfeather was right. That _was_ eerily similar to Thorntail's own mangled half-Clan heritage – his father (both his true father whose blood ran in Thorntail's veins, and Smokestar) were ShadowClan cats, and Lightsnow had been born in RiverClan.

"That_ is_ a coincidence." He mewed thoughtfully – Silverpaw, just as Thorntail had, had joined ThunderClan…He had settled in neither of the Clans that held his kin.

Ravenfeather's eyes were wide and troubled – troubled? Thorntail had never known ShadowClan cats to be troubled about anything…just angry. "Well…that's not all – the coincidences, I mean." Ravenfeather meowed – and though her eyes were still haunted, her voice was calm, as usual. "Goldclaw's and Silverpaw's relationship…sort of reminded me of you and your brother, Graywhisker."

At Ravenfeather's mention of his brother, Thorntail felt – for the first time in this conversation – a shiver crawl down his spine. "What do you mean?" he growled, the fur on his shoulders starting to bristle.

"Goldclaw wasn't just…bad through and through." She meowed, defending her Clanmate – slightly. "He was rough, but it was obvious that he really loved and cared about Silverpaw…he was sort of like an older brother to him." She let out a sigh. "It was the same way you took care of Graywhisker…Goldclaw always stood up for Silverpaw…" she let out a purr. "He had to, too. Silverpaw was constantly being harassed by his Clanmates for being HalfClan – even more so then his sister, Twilightfur, because…well…Twilightfur looks her gender." Thorntail couldn't help but agree with that. "Goldclaw died at the claws of Silverpaw – the cat he had always protected. Irony."

Suddenly, Thorntail understood Ravenfeather's reasoning. "You're worried that I'm going to be Goldclaw," he lowered his voice for dramatic effect, "The sequel."

"Sort of." Ravenfeather shrugged. "I dislike you Thorntail," Thorntail knew that was true – the time Blackshadow and Thorntail had been going on a mission to spy on ShadowClan for Streamstar, Ravenfeather was the one who was the most keen on spilling their blood. "But I don't want you dead." Thorntail would've guessed otherwise. "You're the only decent ThunderClan cat left." As true as Thorntail occasionally thought that was, he opened his mouth to defend the Clan in which his loyalties lay, but shut it. H decided he should just take it as a twisted, ShadowClan compliment. "Silverpaw's story is a sad one." Ravenfeather continued, "But it's a fact that a warrior died because of him. If I were you, I'd keep your distance."

…

Thorntail was surprised to see, as he started to return to camp, that Rosethorn still hadn't gone home. He felt a sudden warmth that she had waited for him for so long, but he couldn't help but feel guilty for stopping to attempt to hunt in his own territory a bit. (He failed, of course.)

"Hello," she purred giving him a quick lick on the ear as a greeting. Thorntail returned the gesture, and Rosethorn went on, "What'd Ravenfeather want?"

He opened his mouth to tell his mate all about Ravenfeather's warnings, but decided against it. If he did, Rosethorn would just worry, and worry…and worry some more about him. Not wanting to put her through that, he lied. "No particular reason. We were…old friends in ShadowClan, and when she saw me, she wanted to talk to me a bit. That's all."

"Oh." For a moment, Thorntail wasn't sure Rosethorn believed it – and she might not have because she growled, "Is that really all? You can tell me anything you know." She intertwined her tail with his. "If you can handle it, I want you to be able to tell me anything."

Thorntail must've been looking at Rosethorn doubtfully – that she wouldn't be able to handle it – because the medicine cat let out a soft hiss. "I have strong nerves, surprisingly. And…" she let out a purr, and rubbed her muzzle against his cheek, "They've gotten stronger since I began to get to know you…"

Thorntail purred, and used his tail to usher Rosethorn closer to him. Once their pelts – one of red fire, one of gray stone – were mingling, he began to rapidly groom her. Rosethorn was perfect – she'd be able to handle it, probably…but she'd still worry. She didn't have to know about Silverpaw. Yet.

But Ravenfeather's parting words wouldn't stop screeching in his mind: _If I were you, I'd keep your distance. _

Ravenfeather wouldn't have to warn him twice.

…

The sun was high in the sky for the new day when Thorntail padded into the Sandy Hollow. Blackshadow had been having trouble teaching Morningpaw to fight better than a half-dead squirrel, and had requested that his friend help him out a bit. However, Blackshadow also requested that Thorntail bring his own apprentice, Silverpaw.

That wasn't happening.

His pads touched the soft sand of the hollow, and Thorntail glanced around, curiously. Blackshadow was there alright. So was Morningpaw. But so were Icepelt and her apprentice, Aquapaw – as well as Badgerclaw and Beakpaw. Every mentor and apprentice had come – with the exception of Silverpaw – and were now amassing in the center of the Sandy Hollow, looking at something in awe.

Curious if it was a StarClan warrior descended from the heavens, Thorntail trotted over to them, his whiskers twitching. As he got closer, her heard the yowls of fighting, and he wondered if they were having some sort of contest for their apprentices – maybe Beakpaw and Aquapaw, the two best apprentices, were having a mock-battle.

He peaked over Blackshadow's shoulder, and was surprised to see not two apprentices in a mock-battle, but an apprentice and a full grown warrior. Blackshadow's apprentice, Morningpaw, and Silverpaw's sister and littermate Twilightfur were stalking up to one another, their lips drawn back into a snarl.

"What's going on?" he asked his friend curiously, nudging him sharply in the side with a paw. Blackshadow grunted in annoyance, and glanced back at him.

"Morningpaw was having trouble learning how to fight…and Twilightfur came and offered to help…" Thorntail huffed. That was his job! Blackshadow continued, "Now she's teaching all of us some of the ShadowClan fighting moves. Their really interesting – and require a lot of movement, but think how useful they will be! We can attack like ShadowClan – and know all of their techniques whenever we fight them."

Thorntail turned his attention towards Twilightfur. It was true; ShadowClan fought a lot different then ThunderClan. He noticed when Twilightfur lunged at Morningpaw…she didn't land on the young tortoiseshell, but behind her. One of the most bothersome of all ShadowClan tricks…that a cat never really noticed in the thick of battle.

"Why don't you and Silverpaw join us?" Thorntail was startled at Badgerclaw's voice, as the big black-and-white tom started to lumber over to him, with his apprentice, Beakpaw, at his heels.

"I would," Thorntail lied flicking his tail, "But Silverpaw is busy right now…patrolling with…someone." He wasn't. Thorntail was pretty sure that he had left the silver tom back in the ThunderClan camp.

Badgerclaw's brown eyes flickered with confusion. "What are you talking about Thorntail? He's right next to you."

"No he's not!" Thorntail hissed, and to prove his point, he jerked his head to his side and stumbled back in surprise. Silverpaw had been sitting right next to him! How could the starlight-colored tom do that? Surely his scent would be noticed. Curious to how the wind had deceived him, he sniffed the air. It was flowing from Silverpaw towards Thorntail – the gray tom should've scented his apprentice! He sniffed Silverpaw, and blinked in surprise. The tom's scent was so faint, it was almost non-existent!

To Badgerclaw, Thorntail growled, "Did I say he was patrolling with someone? I meant me. C'mon, Silverpaw. Let's go patrol." He got to his paws, and with a bounce Silverpaw did as well – and began to follow his mentor out of the Sandy Hollow.

However, once Thorntail was sure he was out of earshot, he stopped, and turned to stare Silverpaw right into his leaf-green eyes. "Give it a rest already." Thorntail sighed, exasperated. "I never meant to save you before. I just wanted to take a nap." That was the truth, as odd as it was.

He had expected for Silverpaw to be hurt, but the tom just held Thorntail's sapphire gaze unblinking. "I know that you were just acting on your emotions." Silverpaw agreed with a flick of his tail. "But that's fine. I feel lucky to have met you."

"I have no interest in you." Thorntail growled – unsure if Silverpaw was hitting on him or not. It was quite possible that he was. But even if the tom wasn't, it was true. Thorntail had no interest in Silverpaw. Not as a friend, not as an apprentice, not as a Clanmate. Nothing.

Silverpaw closed his eyes and let out a purr. "That's okay, because I do."

Thorntail flinched, and narrowed his eyes. Silverpaw was starting to become a real pest.

"Then let me rephrase that, Silverpaw." He growled rising to his full height. "I _loath_ you."

To his surprise, Silverpaw let out a purr. "I say that's a step away from no interest – yes? If you loath me, you acknowledge my existence."

Thorntail let out a ferocious hiss, and curled his lips back into a snarl. Why was Silverpaw so mouse-brained? Thorntail really identified with Goldclaw right now. Sometimes, the tom needed to be slashed.

" Battle training," he growled, flexing his claws, and Silverpaw looked startled, but he got down low into a fighting crouch and unsheathed his claws. Thorntail shook his head – Silverpaw had misinterpreted what he said. " Battle training." He repeated, and then it seemed to hit the apprentice.

The sterling silver tom sheathed his claws, and flicked his tail lazily – leveling his gaze with Thorntail's…who couldn't help but purr. Silverpaw knew what was coming, and he was just going to accept it? Thorntail was going to attack…and Silverpaw sheaths his claws?

Thorntail purred, and flung himself at Silverpaw – who buckled under his weight without any resistance. Thorntail held the tom down with his front claws – even though Silverpaw wasn't struggling at all, and looked around wildly for something to amuse himself with – and something that would leave a mark on Silverpaw forever to stop annoying his mentor.

He saw Silverpaw's tail flicking about.

Thorntail turned himself around, and struck out his neck to firmly wrap the tail tip in his jaws. Any normal cat's instincts would be yowling at them to get the tail – even if it was just the tip – out of danger, but Silverpaw's tail was just limp. Thorntail couldn't contain himself, and nipped it off. The warm metallic taste of Silverpaw's blood rushing into Thorntail's mouth, and at that, he got off of his apprentice.

Slowly, the silver tom got to his paws, and Thorntail expected him to at least let out a hiss of fury or pain, but instead he just looked at his tail – which had its tip bitten clear off – as if he was fascinated by it.

"Whoa." Thorntail growled turning around to leave. "I'm pretty crazy at times…but so are you."

…

As the light of the new day slithered through the cracks in the Warrior's Den, Thorntail slithered out, greeting the sun with a soft mew.

"Morning, Thorntail." Blackshadow purred following him out of the den, as the rest of the warriors of ThunderClan crawled out as well.

"Good morning, Blackshadow." He gave his friend a curt nod.

Blackshadow purred, and then rushed forward, and called for his apprentice. Morningpaw – along with the other apprentices, including Silverpaw, came out of the den. They all ran to their respective mentors, which, to Thorntail's distain, Silverpaw did as well.

"Good morning, Thorntail!" he purred cheerfully and Thorntail rolled his eyes. Didn't his apprentice learn from yesterday?

Thorntail glanced at Silverpaw's tail, which had been wrapped up in cob webs to stop the bleeding. "You should get that checked by a medicine cat." He growled, and Silverpaw looked confused for a moment, but finally seemed to understand. He flicked what his tipless tail.

"I did." He announced. "Ebonypaw said that once the bleeding stopped it would be fine…and it is."

"No, not that." Thorntail growled, and padded towards Silverpaw – who was looking at him with his leaf-green eyes as round as full moons. Thorntail rested his tail on Silverpaw's head. "For this." He growled, and before Silverpaw could answer, he noticed that Rosethorn had come out of her den and was currently stretching for the new day.

…

Rosethorn was giving her chest a few good licks, when a big cat practically barreled into her.

She let out a squeak of alarm – thinking for a moment that the camp was being invaded, but quickly saw the gray face of her mate, and sighed with annoyance. "What is it?" she asked.

"Listen," Thorntail growled – his voice oddly solemn, "I want you to do something for me."

"What?" Rosethorn asked. "Did you help Swiftfoot kidnap all the kits in the Nursery again? I can't keep covering for you…just stop it…you know the mothers worry and worry…" Thorntail cut her off.

"First of all, Swiftfoot is an elder now and therefore can kidnap all the kits he wants!" Swiftfoot did that often now – and the kits loved it. He always hid them somewhere around camp, of course. He had gotten clawed by Applefur numerous times, but Swiftfoot had yet to learn a lesson. Rosethorn wished that he would though. But even Applefur couldn't claw any sense into the former deputy of ThunderClan. "I need you to promise me something," Thorntail continued, and Rosethorn pricked her ears.

"Why? What happened?"

Thorntail didn't answer, and just growled, "Promise me that you won't spend any more time with Silverpaw."

Rosethorn's ears flattened against her head. Why was Thorntail so jealous? She was just friends with Silverpaw – that was it. She loved Thorntail – why couldn't he see that? "What do you mean?" she asked narrowing her eyes.

Thorntail looked so flustered as he answered, she was starting to doubt that this was just jealousy. So what was worrying him? "Don't worry about it." He growled. "Just keep your distance."

* * *

**First off, yes, Thorntail COULD'VE and SHOULD'VE been a tad bit more shocked about Silverpaw, yes? Well...that's what Rosethorn is going to start to think in later chapters too...and...well...**

**If you reivew, you get a Ravenfeather plushie. Yay.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Back to my old average of 5000 words. -sighs- Thank goodness! I wonder how many fans Silverpaw will have left after this chapter... -chuckles-**

**Anyways, there are some things I need to clear up.**

**Steeltalon- It implies many things, I know. But a LOT of things are implied through this story. You pointed out one, but another could be is that Ebonypaw MAY be HalfClan (Somebody caught the hints. I forget who.). It's something I never go into in the story, and it's whatever the reader would like to think. If you want to think that Silverpaw and Goldclaw had a relationship like that - then they did. But if that makes you wrinkle your nose - then they didn't. And if you want to think that Ebonypaw is HalfClan, then she is. But if you like her more being pure ThunderClan, then she is. I have a sick mind at times - but most teens do...and I'm afraid that sometimes that shows in my writing. SORRY! Personally, I would like Silverpaw better with any she-cat then...a tom. I have one in mind that I always see him with...but I don't know if I'll ever go into their relationship. As for the accidental killing, technically when you are insane, when you kill - it is accidental. Silverpaw knew what he was doing, definately, but since he's slightly crazed it was Accidental. Hope I cleared everything up:) Thanks for catching all these things! I know I should explain things better sometimes. xD**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Oh, Thank you!**

**Otterpelt- Yes, yes he is. And he REALLY freaks Rosethorn out in this chapter...**

**Daklotles85- For a moment I was like 'Oh FUDGE MONKEYS! Daklotles85 don't like my chapter' And then I got your PM and I'm like 'OOH' And then I felt sad. I hope the rest of your weekend if better! **

**Silversnow- Why don't you review more often? Just because you don't have an account, doesn't mean that you shouldn't! Thanks for the compliment! Anyways, as for the paintshop thing...I don't know. Could you e-mail me the site that has cat plushie bases? I probably won't use them - it would be hectic to give out, and not everyone would actually want one...but it would be fun to play around with! Thanks!**

**Enjoy the chapter. **

* * *

Rosethorn watched her apprentice carefully, as Ebonypaw began to give the catmint to the now-greencough infected Onepaw. The brown tabby tom ate it gratefully, and Rosethorn muttered some praise to her apprentice. 

Rosethorn wanted to help Ebonypaw with this, but she knew that if she did, she'd probably stick the catmint up Onepaw's nose – she was so distracted. She couldn't shake Thorntail's words from her mind. What had the gray tom meant when he told her to keep her distance from Silverpaw? Okay, she knew that he wanted her to avoid the sterling silver tom at all costs…but why? She knew that Thorntail was jealous of Silverpaw – and openly displayed hatred towards him…but…_why _suddenly tell her to stay away from the tom?

"Rosethorn," Ebonypaw meowed suddenly, her emerald eyes flashing towards the entrance to the den. "Blackshadow's here."

"He is?" Rosethorn turned her head, and let out a purr. The night-colored tom was padding into the den – his muscles rippling under his dark pelt. "Hello, Blackshadow." She purred. "What brings you here?"

"Did you get hurt?" Ebonypaw asked, as she slowly began to sniff curiously at the left over catmint Onepaw had left – he had fallen asleep so soon after eating some, had hadn't finished.

"Morningpaw clawed me, right here." Blackshadow turned slightly, and ran his tail along his flank, and Rosethorn let out a soft mew of surprise as she saw that the young apprentice had drawn blood. "She seems to catch onto ShadowClan moves quicker than ThunderClan…after Twilightfur's training, she's practically unbeatable!" he let out a sigh. "Or maybe I'm a bad mentor…"

"That's not true." Rosethorn growled. To Ebonypaw, she added, "Go get some cobwebs, will you?"

"Yup, yup, yup!" Ebonypaw disappeared into the deep depths of the den, leaving the two older cats alone.

"Well, fine," Blackshadow muttered, "But maybe Twilightfur's a better mentor. Whatever the reason, I certainly wasn't getting through to Morningpaw."

"Once she masters the ShadowClan moves, she can branch off and learn her birth Clan's." Rosethorn purred. "She'll be very dangerous when she's made a warrior." Getting worried about the blood that was spewing from the tom's side, she began to lick it. Then she remembered that Blackshadow was Thorntail's best friend – and therefore, might know the motivations behind the gray tom's order.

"Hey, Blackshadow," she meowed glancing up into his amber eyes, "I have a question." Blackshadow's ears twitched, and Rosethorn went on, "Thorntail told me to stay away from Silverpaw…and I don't know why…I was wondering if you would know."

Blackshadow hesitated for a moment, but finally let out a sigh. "I don't know." He growled. "But whatever the reason, I agree with him. You really should stay away from Silverpaw…he isn't good for you."

Rosethorn let out a soft growl. "Why?" she asked.

Blackshadow's eyes softened, and he gently touched his tail to Rosethorn's shoulder. "I didn't want to tell you, because I thought you'd worry…"

"I'm worrying even more if I don't know." Rosethorn informed him, and Blackshadow let out a rumbling purr of amusement. However, his joy only lasted a heartbeat, and he quickly became solemn.

"I learned at the Gathering from Foxheart – you'd remember him as Foxpaw," Rosethorn nodded blankly. Foxpaw…er…_Foxheart_ had been one of the two cats ShadowClan could spare to fight against WindClan. The other had been Ravenfeather. "Told me about Silverpaw."

"And?"

"Foxheart told me that Silverpaw killed his ShadowClan mentor, Goldclaw."

Rosethorn's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment she stood rigid with shock. Silverpaw was such a calm, shy tom! She had troubled picturing him as a murderer with blood on his claws…at first. Then she remembered when WindClan had been hunting in ThunderClan territory… Thorntail was going to claw off Rabbitfur's eyes or ears…but Silverpaw had tried to kill her first! But…how could Silverpaw…

She had to talk to Thorntail. She had to. This was important. If Thorntail had known about Silverpaw – and he probably did – how come he hadn't told her yet?

"Where's Thorntail?" she asked Blackshadow, feeling the fur on her shoulders beginning to bristle.

Blackshadow hesitated, "I…I think he's out hunting."

"Where? SunningRocks? Owl Tree? Do you know where he went?"

While Blackshadow searched his mind for the whereabouts of Rosethorn's mate, she heard another voice speak, and she instantly turned her head.

"I know where he is." Silverpaw announced, settling himself down beside Rosethorn, who just stayed blankly at him. When had Silverpaw come in? She hadn't heard him…and hadn't noticed him until he spoke.

Silverpaw's leaf-green gaze rested on Rosethorn. "I could take you there, if you like."

…

This was probably the most ironic thing that Rosethorn had ever encountered in her life, and she realized it too, as she followed Silverpaw through ThunderClan territory. She was having Silverpaw lead her to Thorntail, who she was supposed to avoid because Thorntail had warned her to…and because he was a murderer.

And possibly, a stalker.

She felt a shiver crawl down her spine. Silverpaw's scent was so faint… and he was so quiet…until he had spoke, she hadn't even noticed his presence – and he had been right next to her! It was almost as if she was being watched from the shadows…

"How fitting for Thorntail," Silverpaw chuckled, his tail swaying behind him as he walked side-by-side with Rosethorn, "to be stealing prey from ShadowClan."

Rosethorn stopped dead; as did Silverpaw once he realized that she stopped following him. Thorntail was stealing prey? Thorntail had known that a Clanmate was a murderer, he was stealing prey…what else was he hiding from her? Did he have a Clan of ferocious squirrels under his command that he would use to conquer the forest? At this point, she wouldn't be too surprised!

She shook her head, and began to pad after Silverpaw once more, her mind cluttered with fury, worry, and confusion. Why was it that once Shadenight and Spottedlight were out of their lives, and all of Thorntail's past was out in the open, they seemed to be further apart than ever? Thorntail was lying to her, and sneaking about…

She leapt over a log in their path, not particularly thinking about it – just letting instinct control her movements and she kept walking for a few tail-lengths…when she realized that Silverpaw wasn't by her side anymore.

"Silverpaw?" she mused, looking behind her. She let out a mew of alarm, when she saw that the smaller cat hadn't cleared the log as easily, and had toppled onto his back. "Silverpaw!" she yowled and rushed over to him.

"Are you al-" she cut herself off abruptly as she noticed Silverpaw's scars on his underbelly. They were the most grotesque things that Rosethorn had ever seen in her young life. The red lines crisscrossed around one another – and were so terrible that fur hadn't even begun to grow on them once more. And there were a lot of them…his whole underbelly was a dulled scarlet. Unable to control herself she gently ran her tail down one of the thicker ones – one that was at least as thick as her tail.

"Who did this to you?" she gasped. "I've seen Thorntail's scars…but they don't even compare to yours…" she knew that her voice was cracked with horror, and she stopped and gave herself a moment to level it more so that she wouldn't offend the silver cat. "Who did this to you?"

As if self-conscious, Silverpaw leapt to his paws. She half-expected him not to answer, but after a moment, he did. "My…mentor."

"A good mentor would never do such a thing!" she growled, as the two cats continued their journey – this time their pelts mingling with one another. As they did, however, Rosethorn knew that she should feel a jolt of fear. She knew that Silverpaw was a killer…but for some reason, she couldn't be frightened of him. Sort of like…the way she was with Thorntail…

She shook the thought away. Why did she keep comparing Silverpaw to Thorntail? They were different! Different!

"His name was Goldclaw," Silverpaw informed her, twitching what was left of his tail around. "He saved my and my sister's life, and so Smokestar made him my mentor… But he never did much mentoring." Silverpaw wrinkled his nose. "He was a real pawful, and would get furious if I even talked back to him…In fact, he'd go crazy."

"Why didn't you try to get away from him? Maybe get Smokestar to give you a different mentor."

"I did try." Silverpaw purred. "But I never got to speak to Smokestar. Goldclaw found out, and then well…he tried to kill me – stating that he would not lose his first apprentice like _that_…" Rosethorn couldn't help but curse for the starlight-colored tom. In other words, Goldclaw would've rather seen his apprentice dead then given a better, kinder, mentor. "But I was saved by Thorntail." Silverpaw finished, and Rosethorn nodded blankly. Thorntail had told her about this – at least he was telling her some things that were the truth! "I'll never forget Thorntail's first words of warning."

Rosethorn chuckled – she couldn't help it. Sometimes they were classics. She pricked her ears, curious to what it was.

"Thorntail said 'Quiet down there. I'm trying to sleep.'"

Rosethorn knew that this was a rather serious conversation, but she couldn't help but purr.

"Thorntail just happened to be there." Silverpaw purred, his leaf-green eyes narrowing as he remembered. "But he was like a StarClan warrior, descending from the heavens to save me. If he hadn't, I wouldn't be here right now. Thorntail saved me from Goldclaw…"

Suddenly, Rosethorn recalled the name of the cat that Blackshadow had said that Silverpaw had murdered. His name had been Goldclaw… She felt a chill.

"Here we are…we just need to cross the Thunderpath." Silverpaw meowed, but Rosethorn ignored him and padded forward a few paw steps – in fury now. The wind was in her favor – and she could scent Thorntail. Silverpaw was right. Thorntail was stealing ShadowClan prey!

…

Rosethorn slowly and quietly padded along – suddenly thankful to have Silverpaw by her side. She was in enemy territory, and if a ShadowClan patrol found her…she doubted that they would give two mouse-tails that she was a medicine cat.

"There he is." Silverpaw meowed suddenly, and Rosethorn looked at where… Silverpaw's tail-tip should've been was pointing. She saw Thorntail, and let out a hiss as she saw that the gray cat had a plump thrush in his jaws.

"Thorntail!" she snarled, rushing towards him, and Thorntail looked around wildly before he spotted her. He dropped his thrush in shock.

"Rosethorn!" he gasped, and for a moment Rosethorn couldn't speak. She had known that Thorntail had been lying…but to see it with her own eyes…

"Is…is this the better place to find prey that you told me about?" she asked, her voice a pitiful mew. "You…you told me that you told Sandpelt about the new place to find prey…so I assumed that it was in ThunderClan…" she instantly knew that Thorntail had been lying about that, too. He had never told his Clan deputy anything. "Why'd you lie?" she growled.

Thorntail couldn't meet her gaze, and instead looked at his paws. "It's not as if I was keeping it a secret," he mewed, "I just thought that you'd worry if I told you."

"It makes me worry more!" Rosethorn snapped. "I can't believe that you were hiding, and doing something like this!" she swept her tail around, referring to hunting in ShadowClan territory. Even if ShadowClan weren't ThunderClan's best friends in the forest, ShadowClan's prey was ShadowClan's prey! Thorntail had no right to steal it! Suddenly she remembered Ravenfeather coming into ThunderClan territory. "You've been hiding a lot from me recently!" she growled, recalling that he had never informed her of what had happened during that meeting. She decided to use that as an example. "Like when Ravenfeather came the other day…" she began, but Silverpaw cut her off abruptly – and she looked at him, startled. She had forgotten that he was even there.

"Ravenfeather?" he echoed.

Thorntail's gaze was calm as he reverted it to his apprentice. "You should remember her." He purred. "You gave her Clan a lot of trouble."

Rosethorn let out a growl. So Thorntail had known about what Silverpaw had done! At first she was angry – then she became angrier. How could Thorntail bring that up now? Poor Silverpaw! She gazed horrified at the silver cat – hoping that he wouldn't be too angry at Thorntail.

His gaze flicked from Rosethorn to Thorntail and back again, before he seemed to understand. "Oh, I see." He mewed. "You both know that I killed Goldclaw."

…

Rosethorn settled herself beside Thorntail, just inside the ThunderClan border – all three cats had agreed that they should have this conversation where they wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by an enemy – but perfectly in the right – patrol. She gazed into Silverpaw's leaf-green eyes, as he let out a soft sigh.

"Actually, Goldclaw wasn't a…bad cat…" Silverpaw admitted, and Rosethorn flicked her tail – curious. "I mean…it was me who changed his life…" Rosethorn couldn't help but note how sorrow-filled Silverpaw's voice was. "I caused him to become someone who could never go back. I killed him…" Silverpaw looked down at his paws, ashamed. His voice was soft as he continued – almost inaudible, and Rosethorn had to strain her ears to hear. "I killed him…" Silverpaw continued, "And no matter what…I do…or how much I repent… he will never come back…"

Rosethorn suddenly felt a pang of pity for the silver tom. His mentor abused him…and once Silverpaw finally killed him…he had guilt as a shadow padding after him for the rest of his life. She wanted to yowl out sympathy, but instead she placed her tail on his shoulder and soothed him. "Don't feel bad…" she murmured, "This can't all be blamed on you."

Silverpaw didn't seem to hear her, and buried his muzzle into the grassy earth – apparently trying to hide himself as he went on, "It was all my fault!" he mewed, "It was all because I was too timid!" Rosethorn knew that he wasn't talking about the murder anymore – but of Goldclaw's character. "How can I ever be forgiven by Goldclaw?" he asked, and Rosethorn felt a sob well up in her throat, almost choking her. Thorntail had uttered almost the same words when he had been speaking to her about Graywhisker.

"Silverpaw…" she began, but Thorntail cut her off, and she blinked in surprise.

"Don't listen to his fox-dung pile of lies." He growled his blue eyes like chips of ice – cold. "He's thinking that carrion like Goldclaw might as well die earlier."

"Thorntail!" Rosethorn cried, staring at her mate in horror. "Thorntail, what are you talking about?"

"It's a fact." Thorntail snapped, and Rosethorn noticed that his claws were unsheathed. He turned his attention to Silverpaw. "Am I right?"

Rosethorn was torn now. Who was lying, and who wasn't? She had known and trusted Thorntail for so long…but he had recently been lying to her – but she hardly knew Silverpaw, and had just recently learned that he had killed his mentor. She rested her gaze on Silverpaw, awaiting his answer.

For a few heartbeats, Silverpaw was silent, and Rosethorn was wondering if he was ever going to answer…when he made a noise. He began to purr.

Silverpaw removed his muzzle from the earth, and Rosethorn almost let out a squeak and ran back to camp calling for her muzzle as she saw his cold, malicious, leaf-green gaze as it rested on Thorntail – who met it with one of his own. "Indeed." Silverpaw purred. "Cats like Goldclaw deserve to die early." Rosethorn felt her breath quicken, and for some reason, instinct started to howl in her ear to run. But she kept her paws firmly rooted to the earth. She couldn't run…not yet… "Even if I hadn't killed him, sooner or later he would've died at the claws of another one of his_ Clanmates_." Silverpaw's voice was a raspy purr, and had a joyous bounce to it. It sent shivers up and down Rosethorn's spine at the same time.

"Lunatic." Rosethorn turned her gaze to Thorntail, who spoke. Her eyes widened with terror, as she saw that his eyes weren't fearful or worried as they should be – but interested, calm…like he was…in awe of what Silverpaw had done! "You killed a Clanmate, but nonetheless, you're the victim." Thorntail let out a purr. "You're really something."

Silverpaw chuckled lightly. "Well, the Warrior Code was made for the intelligent. We should use it well."

Thorntail nodded in agreement – and Rosethorn almost gagged. They were talking about murdering Clanmates! He shouldn't be nodding in agreement with anything – unless a cat said 'Murder is bad'. But for some reason, neither of the two toms had even brought it up!

"Whoa." Thorntail purred, flicking his tail lazily about, "Goldclaw was a really pitiful cat. He was used for so long, and then killed."

Silverpaw rolled his eyes, and sat himself down on his haunches. "I don't see how you could call it using him." He pointed out. "He was a useless piece of fox-dung. He was so timid, yet he seemed to think that he was Clan leader – and wanted everyone to treat him as such." He shook his head. "Like one time, when another useless Clanmate that had been picking on me died – at Goldclaw's claws. He blamed it on me, of course. But I never asked for his help. He was a coward, and yet wanted to protect me." Silverpaw cocked his head to one side. "I don't see how that adds up." Rosethorn let out a choking noise, and Silverpaw flicked his gaze to her. "I just made Goldclaw, who both ShadowClan and the forest as a whole couldn't do anything about…disappear. If the Clans punish me for that, then_ they're_ in the wrong. Not me." Silverpaw then directed a question at her. "Don't you think so, Rosethorn?"

Silverpaw killed his mentor…and thought that he was in the right? No matter what the circumstances… a cat should never… And Thorntail…he seemed to agree with everything Silverpaw said! Even now, he was _nodding_!

Rosethorn couldn't help it. She felt sick now. Sickened by their reactions…which had become physical sickness. She felt the mouse she had eaten earlier slither up her throat, and she rushed away, deciding to leave the two crazed toms alone. They seemed to get along real well!

…

"Rosethorn!"

She was still chugging out the last of her earlier meal, when she heard Thorntail's voice call out to her. She ignored it, and went on with…her business. However, even though she made no acknowledgement of him, she could sense – and smell Thorntail coming up behind her. Something she couldn't do with Silverpaw. That was the only difference she could see between the two cats right now.

She coughed a few times, but finally was able to choke out, "He must be crazy!" she growled. "His Clanmate died and he can say things like that! He must be out of his mind!" She became quiet, and tried to spit out the last bits of the mouse.

"Are you okay?" Thorntail asked, and Rosethorn was tempted to yowl curses at him, but she held her tongue. He was quiet for a moment, but then meowed, "I'll take you back to camp."

Rosethorn panted a few times, as she felt Thorntail's ice-blue gaze burn into her ginger fur. "Not necessary." She mewed. "I'll walk by myself."

Another silence. Finally, Thorntail asked, "Are you angry?" She didn't answer – much to the annoyance of Thorntail, it seemed, because he growled harshly, "If you're angry, just say it already!" She was still silent. "You know, this is what I dislike about you the most." Thorntail snarled – and she could just picture him curling his upper lip. "Clearly there's something, and you pretend as if nothing happened!"

At this, Rosethorn turned around and glared at him square in the eye. "Why can't you tell me anything?" she spat.

Thorntail let out a sigh of exasperation. "The reason I didn't tell you about Silverpaw was because I didn't want to scare you!" he explained. "And my hunting in ShadowClan isn't that terrible! They have a lot of prey, and I can catch things real quick. It gives me more time to spend with you."

"If our being together interferes with your warrior duties _at times…At times_ I can stay in camp and do my duty as well!" she looked away. "Do you think I'm just some weak…kit who can't take anything?" She knew how ironic it was that she said that – considering she had just thrown up her mouse, and she hoped that Thorntail wouldn't catch it. "I'm sorry about that." She snarled.

"You're so unreasonable!" Thorntail spat, and she heard the air flip about as he lashed his tail. "It's a very small matter! You're making something out of nothing! I'll tell you! This is _not _something important!" Rosethorn could literally feel the tension in the air, but she ignored it as Thorntail went on, "It's not even worthy of discussion! You _don't_ need to know about it – and you _didn't_ need to know about it!"

"Why don't I need to know?" Rosethorn asked, turning to face him once more.

"Because we are practically cats of different Clans!" Thorntail explained his voice almost as loud as a ferocious yowl.

Rosethorn had enough of this. "I'm going back to camp." She muttered and she brushed passed him.

…

"Rosethorn,"

She looked up from her wash, to stare Applefur right in the face. "Hey, Applefur." She purred giving her friend a cheerful lick on the ear. Applefur returned it, and but instantly began to speak once she finished the greeting.

"Thorntail's looking for you."

"He can look all he wants." Rosethorn muttered, and for some reason that Rosethorn didn't understand, Applefur leapt to her paws and rushed into the Nursery on the other edge of camp. Then she figured out why. Thorntail had found her.

He settled himself right in front of Rosethorn, and she quickly assessed that she couldn't run. The tom would catch her if she did…

"Can we not fight?" Thorntail asked her, and Rosethorn couldn't help but be startled. This, coming from the feistiest tom in the forest? For some reason, the fact that it was odd for him to say that made it seem all the sweeter. He touched his tail to her shoulder. "I couldn't sleep at all last night." He informed her quietly. "My stomach hurt, and my head ached… Why was it like that?" For a heartbeat Rosethorn thought that he was asking her for a diagnosis, but he wasn't looking at her now – he seemed to be staring off into nothingness somewhere. "I never thought this could happen." He admitted. "I never used to be like that. After fighting with you, my whole body just felt wrong." Rosethorn felt a sudden burst of relief when she looked into his eyes. They had lost the cold maliciousness that had lingered in them when they were speaking to Silverpaw – now they were wide and pleading. "I even cuffed myself on the ear for no reason when I was hunting earlier…In _ThunderClan_ territory." He added quickly, to Rosethorn's relief. "And," He went on, "I guarantee that no matter what happens in the future, I'll always tell you first." Rosethorn just looked at him. He hadn't said it yet. He rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm sorry." She flicked his tail for him to continue. He certainly owed it to her. He chuckled. "I'm sorry for the mouse-brained things I said to you." At that, he finished, and Rosethorn didn't answer right away. She examined her front paws curiously. She heard him almost gasp with surprise, and had to sustain a purr. "Could you…lick my ear?" he asked hopefully. A lick on the ear was courteous greeting between Clanmates…so it would probably be okay to do in the center of ThunderClan's camp.

Rosethorn hesitated, weighing his words in her head. Finally, she accepted them, and gave him a quick lick on the ear. He returned the gesture.

…

Rosethorn settled herself down in the shadow of the Owl Tree, and purred. It seemed that the Owl Tree had become her and Thorntail's official meeting place.

She began to explain her side of the story to him – hoping that perhaps the gray tom would understand. "Actually, at the time, I felt that I was losing you unwillingly to Silverpaw." She meowed, snaking her tail around his. "I thought that your two personalities matched very well…and I don't know…" she let out a sigh. "What's more, how come he knew that you were stealing prey in ShadowClan?" she flicked her tail.

"What…what do you mean?"

"You two seemed so much alike!"

Thorntail rolled his eyes. "I hate him, Rosethorn. Trust me," he soothed, "If I did become friends with him, he might 'accidentally' kill me."

Rosethorn looked down at her paws. They were getting into that odd uncomfortable zone – they clearly had different views on the value of life.

"I'm…I'm just joking." Thorntail assured her.

"Why has Silverpaw become like that?" Rosethorn asked, accepting Thorntail's slight apology, and leveling her gaze with his. She paused, and decided to tell him what she found out. "I saw that his whole underbelly is covered with scars. He told me that he was physically abused by Goldclaw… Personally, I think that anyone who goes through that kind of abuse…would become…abnormal." She saw Thorntail rolling his eyes, but still she went on. "I bet he has as many scars on his heart as he does on his body."

Thorntail looked thoughtful for a moment, but Rosethorn saw him slowly shaking his head. He didn't agree with her. "I don't think that he's the type that would go insane over something like that." He looked at his paws. "He's born like that. With something…lacking. A sense of morality." He looked up, and leveled his gaze with hers. "Some cats_ just are_ born like crazy. He can't stand normal cats." He announced. "So he thinks of an excuse to persuade himself that he's become what he is because he's been tortured." He rubbed her back with his tail. "Do you understand?" he licked her ear. "This is a fact. He's born like that." Before Rosethorn could answer, he glanced at the sky.

"Thistles and thorns!" he swore. "I promised Blackshadow and Badgerclaw I'd join their hunting patrol at Sunhigh. If I want to meet them on time, I have to go now…" he licked her ear again. "Bye, Rosethorn." He got to his paws to leave, but before he did, he narrowed his eyes. "I'm warning you. Don't meddle with Silverpaw anymore. I think you might get hurt. He's not as innocent as you think."

She watched her gray blur run off for a few heartbeats, and let out a sigh. She doubted what Thorntail said was true. At some point in everyone's life…they become what they are. They are _never _born that way. Why did Thorntail think that that was true?

She shrugged it off, and got to her paws, to leave on her own way. But before she did, she heard a voice coming from just tail-lengths away.

"You two are still very sweet to one another."

She felt a jolt, and stared in horror at Silverpaw. He had heard their whole conversation? She wanted to cuss. Why had StarClan given him the gift of the practically non-existent scent…and give him the bonus of not even being able to be detected by any prickling spine, or a feeling of being watched?

Silverpaw let out a purr. "When Thorntail's with you, he's really just like a kit." Silverpaw took a few paw steps towards her. "To be honest, the first time I saw you two together…and realized that you two were mates…I was in shock." He had seen them before? He had known they were mates before this? How long had Silverpaw been watching them? "That's real different from the Thorntail I remember." Silverpaw's leaf-green eyes burned into Rosethorn's sapphire. "The Thorntail I remember, was cunning and unbelievably cruel." He let out a purr. "He was like a fire. And he could burn anything, and anyone with just a spark of his flame. Like a furious fire." Silverpaw looked thoughtful for a moment- which gave Rosethorn time to feel fear. Ebonypaw's dream from earlier… "When you named the ThornTail herb after him, I had assumed that you were referring to the destructive power of The Blood…and how even it couldn't stand against the flame of Thorntail's wrath." He cocked his head to one side. "I was interested in you, because I thought that you would be more like him. I think I misunderstood you." He brushed passed her to go about on his way. "Pity." He muttered.

"Wait." She growled, stopping the silver cat in his tracks. Silverpaw turned, and stared at her. "You're the one who's wrong, alright." She rose to her full height – which wasn't very much, but was surprisingly higher than Silverpaw's. "Thorntail isn't the cat you think he is. Thorntail is very kind – and he's warm…but he doesn't burn you like fire. He's nothing like you think."

Silverpaw scoffed, and waved his tail that was missing the tip out in front of him. "The tip of my tail was bitten off by a cat, who found me bothersome." He narrowed his eyes. "Do you know who did it?" Rosethorn couldn't answer. "He can do something this cruel, as if it's _nothing_." Silverpaw informed her, and Rosethorn felt a shiver crawl up her spine. She had just gotten her trust put back into Thorntail. Why did Silverpaw have to take it all away from her so quickly?

* * *

**OH NO! Thorntail and Rosethorn had a bad argument! But it ended okay. -sighs with relief- I hope you all are getting that Silverpaw is crazy...if you aren't...I'm sorry. Just take my word for it. He's loony.**

**Plushie of the day. -looks around- There were only five characters in this chapter. Ebonypaw, Blackshadow, Silverpaw, Thorntail, and Rosethorn. All of which there have been plushies of. Crudge! (that's the hyprid substitute for a curse word I made up - a cross between 'crap' and 'fudge') Uh...er... MORNINGPAW! There have been no Morningpaw plushies! And some of you said you liked her - even though she's sort of just backround noise - so...Here you go! MORNINGPAW PLUSHIES FOR ALL REVIEWERS! If you don't review. No plushie. **


	8. Chapter 7

**Tad bit short chapter - only 8 pages altogether. And I think I could've come to a better cliffhanger. -shrugs- All well. I'm not pleased with this chapter...but here it is!**

**I'm surprised by the...well, many reviews I got! Literally, I squealed with delight when I checked my e-mail! SO MANY REVIEWS! THANK YOU ALL!**

**lmblovesmilk- If, Ebonypaw is in fact HalfClan (once again, she's whatever you'd like her to be) yes, that would mean that Morningpaw and Aquapaw are as well. But I never mention it in the story, but I dropped a few implications...and someone asked about it...so...yeah. As for the kits of Thorntail and Rosethorn...well...you'll see.**

**Pazoink- Actually, you'll notice in this fanfiction there are no official, "evil" characters. There are antogonists - Shadenight, Spottedstar, and Silverpaw...but I wouldn't call them evil. Silverpaw's just nuts - he can't help himself, Shadenight was hopelessly in love, and Spottedstar...well, she just wanted a lot of peace! Her heart was in the right place...if only she hadn't murdered... Cats might have listened to her more!**

**Silversnow- YAY! I'll hope you'll be a loyal reviewer! Anyways, I couldn't see those links... -sniff-**

**Mapleleaf- Applefur and Blackshadow aren't main characters in this fic...They're there, they're still friends - and they do have a few cute scenes... But I don't see where I can fit Applefur in right now. First chance I get, she'll poke her nose into something! (I love that couple, BlackshadowxApplefur! I really do!)**

**Strangefur- I'm glad you asked about Silverpw! Actually, he's one of MY favorite characters. I was thinking about giving him his own fanfic, in which, yes, we would learn more about his past. But other than that, I think you learned what's going to be mentioned in this piece of fanfiction...**

**xXBrambleclawXx- Yes, I like it when they're sweet too...but that wouldn't make for an interesting story. In fact, the whole first one - Every Rose Has Its Thorns - was just building up their relationship...they had to fall in love. Could you imagine what Rose(paw) would've done if Thorntail started to show his crazy side to her then? She would've cuffed him over the ear, and went on with her medicine cat duties! ...This fiction is mostly about the problems the two have together... But there will be some fluff! I promise!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Ebonypaw and her siblings started their apprenticeship a few DAYS late. It isn't really enough to make much of a difference. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE COMPLIMENT! I'm flattered! THANKS!**

**Sunlit Snowdrift- Technically...he's always been insane. I just didn't show it as much...**

**Daklotles85- You're right! I did forget! She had a line! Wow, wasn't she honored in that chapter?**

**I didn't answer you all, but I answered most of you! Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Nice catch, Thorntail!" 

Badgerclaw's mew echoed in the gray tom's ears for a few moments, and Thorntail gave the black-and-white tom a curt nod as he buried the robin he had just caught. Blackshadow, Badgerclaw, and Thorntail had been hunting since Sun-high (alright, with one quick rest at camp after Thorntail's shoulder ran into a tree without its owner's permission)…and the big orange orb in the sky was now beginning to sink under the earth. They had only caught the robin, a magpie, and a small shrew. Their hunt had been more or less had been a failure, and Thorntail hoped that other hunting patrols had done better. He doubted it though. Prey was very scarce, for some bizarre reason. NewLeaf was starting to begin! They should have mice falling out of their ears!

"Thorntail," Blackshadow meowed, padding to his side, "I think I'm going to start back to camp…and collect all our prey."

"We should _all_ probably get back to camp," Badgerclaw agreed. "And besides, Twilightfur and I wanted to teach Beakpaw better techniques for hunting in the dark." Badgerclaw was Beakpaw's mentor, Thorntail remembered. And it was no secret that Badgerclaw was starting to pad after Silverpaw's sister and littermate.

"No," Blackshadow sighed, shaking his head. "I promised Sandpelt that we'd renew the scent markers on the RiverClan border…"

"We only need one cat to do that," Badgerclaw pointed out, with a roll of his beady little eyes. "And I really _should_ train Beakpaw."

"And I Morningpaw." Blackshadow argued. He flicked his amber eyes towards Thorntail. "What do you have to do?"

"Blackshadow," Badgerclaw meowed touching Blackshadow's shoulder with his tail, "Thorntail probably has to train Silverpaw."

What, just because Thorntail was Silverpaw's mentor he had to_ mentor_ him? Some things made absolutely no sense in this forest! Next they were going to say that since Streamstar was the leader of ThunderClan, she could _lead_ ThunderClan cats! Then suddenly, he understood Blackshadow's plan, and he flashed him a grateful glance. The night-colored tom knew that Thorntail hated his apprentice with every strand of fur on his stone-gray pelt, and had given him a perfect excuse to not go back to camp right away...and train the little crazed apprentice.

But what to tell Badgerclaw? The truth. "I already…spent time with Silverpaw earlier." Thorntail meowed carefully to Badgerclaw. That wasn't an _entire_ lie. At some point earlier in Thorntail's lifetime, he had spent some time with Silverpaw. "I could go renew the scent markers."

"Are you sure?" Badgerclaw asked shifting uncomfortably. "I don't want Silverpaw to feel neglected."

_Well _I_ do, _Thorntail thought, and answered, "He won't be." He lied between his teeth. To Blackshadow, he added, "Don't forget about my robin. I'll go make sure that RiverClan remembers where our territory ends,"

His black friend nodded, and stepped over to begin to uncover the bird, accepting the gray cat's word without question. But to Thorntail's distain, Badgerclaw looked hesitant, and worried, probably unsure if Thorntail would _just_ renew the scent markers. He knew it was because Thorntail had once been a RiverClan cat. But Badgerclaw was one of his closest friends – next to Blackshadow, Applefur, and Rosethorn. Why couldn't the big cat trust him? Okay, a little earlier last moon a RiverClan cat had been padding after him… and he had probably mated with at least half of the she-cats over there… But the same could be said about ThunderClan!

"Don't worry Badgerclaw," he soothed, "I promise that I _will_, in fact, betray all of ThunderClan's secrets to RiverClan." His tone was sarcastic – but for a heartbeat, Badgerclaw didn't seem to catch that and his eyes widened in shock. Then he understood, and his beady eyes returned to their normal size.

Before Badgerclaw or Blackshadow could say anything else, Thorntail started to pad towards the RiverClan border.

…

Rosethorn let out a sigh, as she placed some of the extra cobwebs from Thorntail's shoulder back into storage. She was glad he was starting to act normal again…but was he really? They had only had a few conversations with one another since…Silverpaw. How was it that the gray cat could be so malicious when he was by Silverpaw…but so calm and quiet with her?

"Rosethorn, I have a question!"

Her thoughts were interrupted, and she turned her head sharply, to see Ebonypaw slipped into the den to speak to her. She gave her apprentice a curt nod. "What is it, Ebonypaw?"

"Streamstar wants to check on Onepaw and Bramblekit," Rosethorn remembered that those were the two cats in the Clan that had caught…Greencough. "Should I let her?" Ebonypaw's tone was worried. "I mean…what if she gets sick?"

Rosethorn was about to tell the black she-cat that she would speak to Streamstar herself, but decided against it. Even though Rosethorn was the full medicine cat of ThunderClan, she knew that the Clan leader would respect Ebonypaw's words more. It was insulting, to say the least, but it wasn't as if Rosethorn didn't know why Streamstar's trust wasn't in her own daughter. "Warn her of that possibility, but other than that…she's the Clan leader. If she wants to check on them, we can't stop her."

Ebonypaw opened her mouth to answer, but before she did, a large ginger blur came barreling into the den, the young queen's fur was standing on end and her blue eyes were wild. For a heartbeat, Rosethorn thought that she was seeing her own reflection come to meet its owner, but then quickly realized who it was.

"Hiya, Applefur!" Ebonypaw purred cheerfully – possibly not catching the fact that Applefur was clearly terrified of something. "You here to see Rosethorn? That's why I'm here! Yup, yup, yup! Though…I'm _always _here. I'm her apprentice."

Applefur ignored the black cat, and meowed quickly, "Petalkit is sick!"

"Not Petalkit!" Ebonypaw cried, her kitten-like personality dissolving in an instant. She turned to her mentor, her green eyes serious. "What should we do?"

"Well," Rosethorn meowed, resting her sapphire eyes on her apprentice, "Go get the kit, and bring her in here…Applefur, what's wrong with her?"

"She's been coughing a lot…and…well…that's about it."

Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief. So far, it sounded like Petalkit only had Whitecough. It was terrible for kits – but not as bad or dangerous as Greencough. "Applefur, you should probably go with Ebonypaw to get her…She'll be more comfortable if her mother is with her – at least for a little while."

Rosethorn didn't have to tell the ginger queen twice. She pounded out of the den, with Ebonypaw sharp on her heels, and Rosethorn let out a sigh. She had never seen Applefur so terrified. She really loved those kits of Blackshadow's…Something Rosethorn could never do for Thorntail…

At the thought of her mate, Silverpaw's words starting to ring in her head. _The Thorntail I remember, was cunning and unbelievably cruel. _She shivered. _He was a fire. And he could burn anything, and anyone with just a spark of his flame. Like a furious fire… _And then Silverpaw had shown her what Thorntail had done to his apprentice's tail…

"No…" she meowed out loud, lowering her head. "Thorntail's not like that at all!" Was he?

…

Once Thorntail had rubbed his scent all over the border – which, by now, had started to make the scent glands on his chin ache - he settled himself down, and just stared across it the scent marker he had created. His pelt prickled. From his position, he could just see the flowing river that he had once fed off of as a RiverClan cat. He let out a purr, as he recognized the two cats that were hunting by it. One had a pelt as black as the river was wet, and her companion was a brown tabby. Their tails were intertwined. So, Shadenight had taken his advice. She had finally stopped padding after him, and had turned her crystal-blue eyes onto her close Clanmate, and best friend, Owlpelt. He wrinkled his nose, as he wondered what their kits would look like. Shadenight was gorgeous, but Owlpelt was…well…to be polite, plain.

He let out a sigh of annoyance. Shadenight had just stopped crossing the border to meet him…hardly even a half-moon ago. And yet, she and Owlpelt were already so close to one another! It had practically taken Thorntail half a moon to get Rosethorn to say two words to him – getting her to speak a whole sentence, carry on a conversation – and finally, intertwine her tail with his… That was a different matter.

And now, every time he got close to Rosethorn…she pushed him back. Or anytime she tried to get closer…he jerked away, so to speak. They had been doing fine, until Shadenight started showing up, and then Silverpaw. Just today, when he had injured his shoulder…Rosethorn had seemed to distracted where she fixed where the tree had worried it. What was wrong?

Why couldn't another traitorous deputy come into the clearing, so he could get close to Rosethorn again – like he had when Spottedlight was a thorn in their side? He made a mental note to try and coax the ThunderClan deputy, Sandpelt, into attempting to murder Streamstar. Rosethorn would be shaken up, go 'I don't know who to trust anymore!' and dig her muzzle into his chest, and then… Well, they'd have some fun. Why did Clan deputies have to be so loyal? It was like…they were bound to some Warrior Code or something!

Before he could think of other various ridiculous ways to get Rosethorn to get closer to him, he felt something brush against his pelt, and he let out a hiss. Silverpaw had failed to sneak up him this time!

"You said something to Rosethorn again. Didn't you?" he turned his head, and stared the annoying silver cat square in his leaf-green eyes. He gave himself some silent praise on actually catching his apprentice spying on him this time.

Or maybe Silverpaw had wanted to be caught – he didn't look startled or surprised…or worried at all, as he answered Thorntail's question. In fact, he let out a chuckle of amusement. _The piece of fox-dung!_ "Did Rosethorn say something?"

Thorntail's pelt prickled with…no anger. But hatred. Oh, how he hated his apprentice! "She doesn't have to," Thorntail snapped, recalling how odd the medicine cat had acted when she helped him with his shoulder, "She can't hide_ anything_."

Silverpaw nodded with agreement, and tucked his paws underneath himself. "She's a lot more ordinary then I thought." He admitted, and Thorntail noticed that he didn't deny saying anything to Rosethorn. "I thought that she would be more extraordinary…" Silverpaw trailed off, and shook his head, before continuing, "Since she's your mate."

Thorntail rolled his eyes. "You're just not ordinary enough." He pointed out.

Silverpaw snorted. "Oh, _StarClan_, why does everyone in this Clan talk like some sort of high-and-mighty medicine cat?" Thorntail was about to agree, but held his tongue. This was no time to be agreeing with Silverpaw! It would be like agreeing that the WindClan cats had a right to hunt in ThunderClan territory – right in front of their muzzles!

Silverpaw continued, "I'm sort of shocked that you're no different."

Thorntail felt his blood boil. "And someone who kills a Clanmate as if it is nothing is _normal_?" Thorntail countered, lashing his tail. All he had wanted to do was renew the markers with RiverClan, and plot somewhat traitorous plans on getting Rosethorn closer to him – but _no_, he couldn't even do that without being annoyed by some crazed cat!

Silverpaw yawned, and didn't answer the gray cat's question directly. Instead, he asked, "Do you know what kind of history this forest has?" Thorntail didn't answer, and for some bizarre reason Silverpaw took this as a reason to go on. "Lots of cats in the past have murdered, lied, or cheated to get into their position of deputy or leader…or become a respectable warrior. And in battles, a lot of blood is spilled…There would be more too, if some_ genius_ cat hadn't put it into that silly Warrior Code that we all blindly follow that it is wrong to kill those that are less intelligent or weaker than us..." he shook his head. "Now, our pure, raw, killing instinct is displayed as 'insane' or 'wrong' but… in reality, it is simply what we are. How is a fellow cat different from fresh kill?" he shrugged. "I see no difference. They're both moving mounds of flesh, that nobody will really notice when they're gone." Silverpaw leaned over towards Thorntail, and Thorntail noticed that their tails were touching. "The act of killing…if a completely instinctive, voluntary action."

Why did he feel as if he had heard these words before? Had another cat said this to Thorntail? He thought for a moment. He couldn't think of any…but why did it seem so familiar… He didn't show his interest, and faint agreement with Silverpaw. "You think too much." Thorntail pointed out. At this, Silverpaw intertwined their tails, and before Thorntail could protest, the silver tom spoke again – and distracted him from his fury that Silverpaw had dared to do such a thing.

"You've experienced it to." Silverpaw breathed into his ear, and Thorntail's eyes widened. "The joy of killing another. How was it?"

Thorntail tried to hide his lingering fear scent. Silverpaw…knew? "What are you talking about?" he managed to growl, his voice unwavering. But how he wanted it to waver!

Silverpaw didn't seem to hear him. "How did it make you feel when your brother died? How did it feel to see a body on the Thunderpath that looked just like yourself?"

At Silverpaw's mention of his brother's death, Thorntail suddenly heard Shadenight's terrified yowl. For a moment, he thought that she was being attacked on her side of the border…but then he realized that he was simply remembering…that day. Shadenight's squeal of terror, their Clanmates calls from afar of 'What happened?' and 'Are you guys okay? We're coming!'. And then… Thorntail saw it…in his mind. All over again. He leaned over, and saw it… The gray, battered body of his brother… a scarlet pool of blood around it… Graywhisker's jaws still parted into a yowl of agony… That odd…peculiar feeling… That weird realization that he should be feeling guilt…but _wasn't…_

Then Thorntail couldn't help but wonder once more…How did Silverpaw know? How did that annoying little pest know about Thorntail's brother?

Silverpaw didn't give him time to ask, and went on – explaining his own feelings when he killed, "Personally, I was moved…when I saw Goldclaw writhing. Covered in his own blood…begging for me to spare his life. Can you believe it?" Silverpaw let out a purr. "Goldclaw actually _begged_ for me to spare him! He begged someone, who he clawed half-dead…He actually expected mercy from _me_!"

Thorntail blinked, and stared blankly at Silverpaw for a few heartbeats. What was wrong with the silver cat? How could anyone not feel remorse – at least _later _– for a murder? How in the name of StarClan, could Silverpaw be entertained by the thought of killing another of his species? Thorntail ignored the fact that he knew the answer to all of those questions, and instead decided to teach Silverpaw a quick lesson. He was his mentor, after all. It would be a training session he'd never forget: Killing is bad. Usually.

Thorntail gently ran his tail along Silverpaw's flank, and neck – and such – and tried to ignore Silverpaw's amused purr.

"You're not very muscular…" Thorntail meowed thoughtfully, "And you're very slender…it should only take a swipe or so."

He enjoyed that curious moment then. The curious moment when Silverpaw tensed, as he realized Thorntail's goal.

Before Silverpaw could do anything with this new knowledge, Thorntail pounced. It took hardly any strength at all, to hold the starlight-colored cat down. In fact, he only needed one paw. His other three, were free to claw, and do as they pleased!

Thorntail scraped one of his claws down Silverpaw's already-scarred, upturned belly, and let out a purr. "Did it make you happy to see other cats dying?" he asked curiously, his blue eyes burning into Silverpaw's green – Silverpaw couldn't answer, possibly because Thorntail had successfully dug one of his claws deep into Silverpaw's throat, so Thorntail took the liberty to continue. "Well, why don't you try it? Experiencing the moment you die!" A joyous purr escaped him, and a feeling of power surged through him. Ah, heck! Why make it a lesson? Why not kill the silver cat and be done with it? He could just picture the cats back at ThunderClan questioning him…

"_Hey, Thorntail, whatever happened to Silverpaw?" To which Thorntail would promptly reply, "He was savagely ripped apart by a pack of angry squirrels." _

They would accept it without question! And without Silverpaw…if Silverpaw would just disappear…he could be with Rosethorn with no trouble! No other cat in the Clan, besides Ebonypaw, Applefur, and Blackshadow knew of their relationship… and they were all fine with it – and weren't trying to break them apart. Silverpaw had chose his own fate!

That was one reason to kill him.

That was a good excuse that he could use to comfort himself at night. The other reason…was that, Thorntail simply despised him. Such an annoying cat, Silverpaw was. _And…so easy to get rid of! _He realized, as even though Silverpaw started to flail about, he could hardly even lift a paw to escape. He was going to die- and Silverpaw knew it! But…why didn't he want to? Why didn't he just give in? Such a hypocrite, Silverpaw!

Another reason to die!

Silverpaw started to fling his front paws in the air, as if attempting to ward off of his attacker and Thorntail drew another river-full of blood from his apprentice – all the while, slowly but surely digging one of his other claws down Silverpaw's throat…leaving a small stream in its wake.

"How is it?" Thorntail asked curiously, half-expecting Silverpaw to answer. He didn't. "It's uncomfortable, isn't it?" he hissed, curling his upper lip. "You see, every hair on your pelt stands on end… and all your senses open up and become much more alert…making you realize all the more of your demise." he blinked, as once again Silverpaw didn't answer. How odd. "However, soon your senses start to disappear…and your vision becomes blurred…" As the words tumbled from Thorntail's mouth, he noticed that the light from Silverpaw's eyes was starting to fade… "You gradually can't hear my voice." he went on – and then, as if with a sudden burst of energy, Silverpaw attempted to roll himself onto his side – but Thorntail bent his head and just nimbly stopped him. Now Silverpaw had successfully lost all of his energy…But…why had he tried to hard to escape?

"So you're afraid of dying?" Thorntail asked curiously. "Afraid to meet StarClan?" he noticed that some of Silverpaw's blood had gotten onto his pads, and he mumbled a curse. How frustrating! It would take him forever to clean that off! Why as it, that cats he tried to murder always bled? How rude could they get? "You're too selfish, aren't you, Silverpaw?" Thorntail sneered, "It's okay when other cats and Clanmates die…but you don't play along when it's your turn!" he shook his head, and made a clicking sound with his tongue. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. So don't worry." He shrugged. "It's very quick. You see, dying or not…will soon not be a concern of yours." He let out a chuckle. "In just a few more moments, you'll slowly start to lose consciousness." Thorntail was surprised at how he somehow was able to name exactly what was going to happen to Silverpaw – right as it happened, because suddenly Silverpaw's struggles started to become so faint…they were hardly noticeable. And Silverpaw's eyes had narrowed into slits. He was going to pass out soon!

A burst of joy flowed through Thorntail. Silverpaw would be dead! Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead, dead… Dead! No more would he frighten Rosethorn! No longer would his simple existence bother his loyal, handsome, humble mentor, Thorntail! Rapture! Joy!

Then Thorntail heard Badgerclaw, from far off, growl gruffly at his apprentice – something along the lines of, "You can't blame your tail for not catching that thrush! It was practically sitting in your paws!"

Instinctively, at the loud noise, Thorntail found himself unsheathing his claws… Wait a heartbeat…They were already unsheathed… Thorntail blinked, and looked at his bloody paws, and saw that he had sheathed them.

Instantly, Silverpaw seemed to get some of his strength back – and Thorntail wondered if he had somehow blocked off some air for him with is claw – and then, the apprentice used his mentor's lapse of attention to roll away.

As Silverpaw coughed, it suddenly hit Thorntail what he had been about to do. Great StarClan! He had almost killed his own Clanmate! For no reason, other than that Silverpaw was beginning to bug him!

He turned his head, to look at the bleeding cat, ask if he was okay, rush off get the cobwebs, beg Silverpaw not to mention this to Streamstar… when he heard it. Silverpaw…was…he was…_purring!_ He had almost died…and yet…he was…purring hysterically!

Thorntail turned his attention back to his blood paws, suddenly horrified at what he had been about to do…

…

Rosethorn's whiskers twitched. "I'll be right back, Ebonypaw." She promised turning to her apprentice as they grew near to the Owl Tree. "I heard that Thorntail's by the RiverClan border. I think I'm going to go see him…you should go pick up some catnip by the Twolegplace…"

Her black apprentice was nearly invisible in the darkness, but she could clearly hear Ebonypaw's cheerful mew: "Okie-dokie Rosiethorny!"

Rosethorn let out a purr. Aquapaw and Morningpaw had grown up long ago. It was almost humorous to see that Ebonypaw still acted like a kit at times.

As Ebonypaw padded away, Rosethorn found herself pelting towards the border – as if on winged paws. Why had she acted like that to Thorntail earlier? Of course Thorntail was nothing like that silly, silver cat! How could she even think like that?

She kept on clawing her own ears off as she rushed towards the border…but she stopped doing that, and stumbled to a halt, as she smelled Silverpaw's and Thorntail's scent – from just behind the group a group of ferns by the border. And she heard…Silverpaw…purring… Her ears pricked. Why in the name of StarClan were they together…and why was… Silverpaw purring?

…

Silverpaw's purrs rang in Thorntail's ear, but he couldn't be annoyed. For some reason, he couldn't find himself being…angry at Silverpaw, after what he had just done to him…Or, _tried_ to do.

Thorntail had been calling Silverpaw a hypocrite and such…But…he supposed it took one to know one! He had been about to kill Silverpaw…for being bothersome about murder! How ironic was that? How twisted was that? _How twisted am I? _he thought ruefully.

Finally, through the purrs, Silverpaw managed to choke out, "You were for real, weren't you?" he let out a chuckle. "You had at first just meant to scare me…but you never expected to be seduced by the thought of killing me!" Silverpaw then started to purr like it was the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. Silverpaw was… happy about how he was almost killed! Silverpaw seemed to sense Thorntail's worry, because he put in – attempting to be flattering, "But I was really scared!" he explained cheerfully. "I thought I was really going to die!" Tom, Silverpaw thought that was a hoot, because he erupted into even harder, cheerful purrs.

"Why…why…why are you purring?" Thorntail asked his voice scarcely over a whisper. "This makes you _happier_?"

Silverpaw rolled his eyes, as if that was as obvious as mice were food. "Of course I'm happy!" he cried out. "It took me all my life, and a lot of effort…But I finally found someone with the same feelings that I have!"

Thorntail wanted to protest…but how could he? Silverpaw was right! They both could kill without any remorse!

"Such an outstanding life has company now!" Silverpaw announced, the moonlight starting to shimmer onto his silver pelt. He shook his head violently. "How can I _not_ be happy?"

Thorntail wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Silverpaw continued, "I thought that there wasn't a single warrior in this forest who could understand me! Twilightfur came close…but…but not like you!" Twilightfur? Thorntail suddenly wished he had known Silverpaw's sister better, so he could know what the heck the crazed tom was talking about.

While Thorntail was thinking about the blue-gray she-cat, Silverpaw crawled over to him, and his leaf-green eyes burned into Thorntail's sapphire as he spoke.

"In this instant, you and I were in empathy…weren't we?"

…

Every hair on Rosethorn's pelt prickled, as she slowly toddled back to camp…and her mind was cluttered. What had Silverpaw and Thorntail been doing? And what had Silverpaw meant when…they were in empathy? What had they…both…emphasized together about? And why...

Her thoughts were cut off, as she heard a sharp yowl from ahead. She pricked her ears, and looked up, to see the ThunderClan deputy, Sandpelt, bounding towards her.

Rosethorn remembered that Sandpelt had two kits, Tiberkit and Robinkit, and wondered what the deputy was doing away from her little ones. Then she felt mouse-brained for thinking something like that – they were probably being looked after by Dusktail or Applefur.

"Rosethorn!" Sandpelt yowled, as she stumbled to a halt in front of the medicine cat. "I'm so glad I found you!"

Fear jolted through Rosethorn. "What happened?" she hissed.

"It's your mother!" Sandpelt explained breathlessly. "We were hunting…and…she started coughing and everything…but she said it was nothing…and…well…"

"Well, _what_, Sandpelt?"

"Streamstar…she's unconscious!"

* * *

**Yup, bad cliffy because we don't really care about Streamstar much! But then, her passing out and getting sick...is really important to the plot... -sniffle-**

**If you review, you will get an Applefur plushie! Except, this one is special! She's pregnant! I know, she gave birth a long time ago...but this is fun! Turn her over, and you can open up her belly...and ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR... FOUR KITS come out! Blazekit, Nightkit, Baykit, and Petalkit! YAY! (If this sounds disgusting, bear in mind that I've seen stuffed animals in stores that are just like that! MEEP!)**


	9. Chapter 8

**Catgurl2004- I loved your Brambleclaw fic! It made me sad... I never got to review, because my brother was behind me going 'Grr grr! I want on!' But...it was well written! Hearing that compliment from you...made me squeal with joy! THANKS!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- YAY!!! (I always love it when you review. That's why you get a yay!) **

**Anyways, those are the only reviewers I'm answering because... -squeal- I'm...well... oh nevermind. Anyways, this chapter is **

**A. Poorly written**

**B. Not much happens.**

**BUT! It is important, it foreshadows a LOT of things...and you should probably pay attention.**

* * *

"Mother!" Rosethorn cried, as she flung her petite body towards the ThunderClan leader – who was lying on her side, her eyes closed just under one of the many trees of the great ThunderClan territory.

Rosethorn dug her muzzle into Streamstar's white fur, and was relieved when she felt the faint rise and fall of her chest. She was alive! Suddenly remembering he duty as a medicine cat – and not just as a worried daughter - she glanced up at Sandpelt.

"What happened…exactly?" she murmured trying to keep her voice level as she stared into the pale ginger she-cat's emerald eyes.

The deputy hesitated for a moment, before answering, "She was coughing a lot, and I asked her if she felt that she should go back to camp…and she refused…and well, eventually…this happened." She jerked her muzzle towards her leader. "What's wrong with her Rosethorn?"

Rosethorn closed her eyes. Of all the things that Streamstar could have caught, she caught one of the _deadliest_. "I smell greencough." She breathed. For a moment, she wondered how her mother had caught the vial disease…then she remembered Ebonypaw's rant about how her leader had wanted to see the sick cats. _Fox-dung!_ She had caught it from them! Rosethorn just wanted to yowl out her sorrow – first the Blood, then an outbreak of _late _Greencough? And what's more, who was one of the first cats to catch the sickness? The ThunderClan leader, Rosethorn's mother, Streamstar!

"Will…will she be alright?" Sandpelt asked tentatively.

Rosethorn decided to be truthful. "I don't know." She admitted. "She had to have Whitecough first…I don't know how it turned into Greencough so quickly…" then she remembered something from her various medicine cat training, and blinked up at Sandpelt. "How long were you two hunting?"

Sandpelt shrugged, "Awhile." She muttered. Her eyes widened. "Is that bad?"

"She overworked herself, from the looks of things." Rosethorn meowed, looking back at Streamstar, and not taking her gaze off of her white fur. "I…Sandpelt, go get a few warriors to carry her back to camp…"

Rosethorn didn't have to tell Sandpelt twice. In a heartbeat, the she-cat had pounded off as if a pack of wild dogs were on her heels.

Once she was gone, Rosethorn went back to acting like a kit, and dug her muzzle into Streamstar's side. She longed to groom her fur, but she knew that if she did that, she herself would be in danger of catching Greencough… So instead, she just mumbled, "Mommy…"

…

"Well, well, well, Thorntail." Blackshadow's tone was of mock-scolding, and Thorntail rolled his eyes as he came into the camp. Thorntail had taken…awhile in coming back to camp, he knew. He had just been supposed to renew the scent markers with RiverClan – but it ended up, he had to spend what seemed like three dawns cleaning his apprentice's blood off of his paws! Why did they have to bleed so much?

"You've been with Applefur far too much," Thorntail growled as his fur brushed against Blackshadow as he started to trot towards the fresh-kill pile, knowing perfectly well that he'd be lucky if he could find just a mouthful, "You're starting to sound just like her."

Blackshadow padded along side him. "You look tired." His friend commented cheerfully, and Thorntail grunted agreement. "Have you made _progress _with Rosethorn?"

Thorntail knew that the 'progress' Blackshadow was referring to was the act of mating. And personally, Thorntail couldn't think of a time when he and Rosethorn had ever been further from mating! Ever since Silverpaw came, things hadn't been the same between them. "Still, no." he admitted.

"What happened to you two?" Blackshadow asked sympathetically. Thorntail opened his mouth to answer, but he felt another pelt brush against his, and he turned his head.

"Hey, Thorntail." Silverpaw meowed cheerfully, as his apprentice started to bound towards the apprentice's den, where, of course, Morningpaw and Aquapaw were waiting eagerly for him.

Blackshadow snorted. "Is that how an apprentice greets his mentor?" he called out, but Silverpaw didn't answer. Thorntail knew that apprentices very rarely spoke to their mentor without…their mentor speaking to them – unless the apprentice had a question of some sort.

Suddenly, Thorntail remembered the incident with Silverpaw earlier. Guilt clawed at his belly. "Let him go." He breathed, and he almost cringed at the horrified look Blackshadow gave him.

The night-colored tom looked like he wanted to argue, but before he could, a ginger blur pelted towards them, and stumbled to a halt hardly two paw-steps away. At first, Thorntail thought that it was Rosethorn and his heart lifted, but then he realized that it was instead Blackshadow's mate, Applefur.

Applefur's fur was standing on end. "Thorntail, Blackshadow! Did you two hear?" the queen asked, her ice-blue eyes jumping from one tom to the other. Thorntail exchanged a curious glance with Blackshadow. Whatever the news was, it certainly seemed to have Applefur's tail tied into a knot. What was it?

"Hear what?" he asked.

"Streamstar suddenly fainted…and apparently has greencough!" Applefur burst out.

…

Even though Streamstar wasn't in much better condition in her den then she had been in the forest, the fact that she was now in her camp was an odd comfort to Rosethorn, as she gently used her tail to move the catnip that Ebonypaw had collected for her towards her leader's muzzle. She hoped that instinctively, even while unconscious, the ThunderClan leader would be able to use the sweet juice that cats loved – but greencough hated.

However, Streamstar didn't need to do anything instinctively, because her sapphire eyes fluttered open, and Rosethorn gave a little yelp of joy. "How long have you been here?" Streamstar asked lazily, and Rosethorn blinked, curiously.

"Well…you passed out around Sun-high…and I've been with you in _here," _she flicked her tail around her leader's den, "since the moon started to sink… I think the sun's going to rise soon, but I'm not sure…"

"So you've been here to look after me, day and night?"

"That's a medicine cat's duty." Rosethorn purred cheerfully. "Now, I want you to eat some of the catnip."

Streamstar hesitated for a reason Rosethorn didn't understand. "Uh…Rosethorn, I don't think a cat is supposed to have too much catnip…otherwise their greencough gets worse, right?"

"That's true." Rosethorn agreed. "But you haven't had any yet. Just eat all that – I wouldn't ever give you to much." She gently ran her tail along Streamstar's flank, her heart pounding with worry. Streamstar was a _fairly_ young leader – having just gotten her nine lives a little before Rosethorn had been born… So she had a few lives to spare… But Greencough was known to practically suck lives from a leader. In a matter of dawns, Sandpelt could be Clan leader. Rosethorn was not about to let that happen! Even though…Sandpelt did have the makings of a fine leader, Streamstar was her mother – and the cat who StarClan gave guardianship of ThunderClan to.

"Ebonypaw gave me some earlier…" Streamstar meowed softly, closing her eyes. "He – I mean_ she _told me that any more would be bad for me…"

"Ebonypaw?" Rosethorn echoed. "When?" she asked. Rosethorn hadn't left her mother's side since Sandpelt had shown her where she had fallen. When could Ebonypaw possibly have given Streamstar some catnip.

"A little after Sandpelt ran off to find you…" Streamstar murmured, and this confused Rosethorn even more. Ebonypaw had been in camp…or at least…she was supposed to be. How come the black apprentice never mentioned anything to her mentor about giving her Clan leader some herbs? "Anyways," Streamstar continued, "Aren't there other sick cats to look after?"

"Ebonypaw can take care of Petalkit and Onepaw just fine." Rosethorn meowed, her mind still wracking with curiosity. She still couldn't figure out what Ebonypaw had been doing outside of camp!

"Petalkit and Onepaw are two cats, and I am young." Streamstar muttered. "Don't you think the more skilled medicine cat should have more lives hanging in her paws?" Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head, until she realized that her mother was paying her a compliment. Then worry started to nag at her. Streamstar had to have been in a state of deliria! Streamstar had always seemed like such a self-centered leader (which always made Rosethorn curious to as how she had been named deputy…Had Hollowstar been out of his mind at the time?) so why was she forcing the more-skilled medicine cat away? Noticing her hesitation, Streamstar growled, "That's an order."

…

Rosethorn slipped from Streamstar's den, fully aware of practically every pair of eyes in ThunderClan burning into her pelt. Not wanting to worry them, she gave a small cheerful bounce as she trotted to her den… But was unable to keep up that fake joy, and soon fell onto her side – half from sheer clumsiness, half from sorrow.

As soon as ThunderClan saw her anxiety, they instantly broke out into a wail of sorrow, and Rosethorn let out a hiss.

Before she could say that she just stumbled, and lie to say that Streamstar would be fine, Ebonypaw padded out of the medicine cat's den to greet her mentor.

Rosethorn glanced up at the black she-cat, and let out a sigh. "Ebonypaw, I wish you would've told me that you had given Streamstar some catnip. If she hadn't told me, I could've made her worse."

Ebonypaw wrinkled her nose, and her green eyes rounded with shock. "I didn't do anything like that!" she cried, and Rosethorn's fur tingled with impatience. Why was Ebonypaw lying to her?

"Streamstar told me herself, Ebonypaw. I'm not mad at you – you gave her the right thing – but I just want you to tell me things like that from now on." Rosethorn slipped into the den, Ebonypaw tailing her.

"But I didn't!" her apprentice whined. "Rosethorn, I was hear at camp with Petalkit, Onepaw, and Flowertail all day! Ask any of them!" For a heartbeat, Rosethorn felt her jaw drop with shock. Flowertail had gotten sick as well?

Then she remembered her argument with Ebonypaw. "If you didn't, then who did?"

"I don't know." Ebonypaw meowed. "But it wasn't me."

Rosethorn was growing tired of arguing with the black apprentice, so she quickly gave her an order. "I'll be staying here with Flowertail, Petalkit, and Onepaw…and you should go look after Streamstar."

Ebonypaw let out a squeak of alarm. "Really?" she gasped, her voice half-joyous at the honor, and half-worried about her leader. It was an interesting combination.

Rosethorn flicked her tail, telling Ebonypaw that it was 'really' and without another word, the apprentice skirted out of the den, leaving her mentor alone with the three cats.

Of the three, only Flowertail was conscious. "What did Ebonypaw give you?" Rosethorn asked her, and the brown tabby queen shrugged her shoulders.

"Some catmint and chickweed."

Rosethorn let out a purr. Ebonypaw had done exactly what her mentor would've. Worried slightly about the other two cats- Petalkit and Onepaw – she laid her tail on both their flanks at once, and felt their breathing. Greencough. She glanced worriedly at Petalkit. Kits were much more vulnerable to any sickness. Would the small black-and-ginger kit survive the rest of the day?

Flowertail seemed to sense her anxiety, and soothed her. "Petalkit is one of Applefur's strongest kits."

"But she's still a kit." Rosethorn sighed.

"And she'll live to grow into a warrior." Flowertail meowed determinedly. Her gaze softened, and she let out a sigh. "You've been up all night, Rosethorn. I think you should get some rest…"

"A medicine cat sometimes must make this sacrifice." Rosethorn purred, attempting to keep her voice cheerful. "Would you like me to get you something from the fresh-kill pile?"

"No." Flowertail yawned, and curled herself up. "I'm going to take a rest. And I think you should too. There's nothing more you can do, Rosethorn."

The medicine cat opened her mouth to argue, but she knew that Flowertail was right. But worry was clawing at Rosethorn's side like a ShadowClan warrior. This was The Blood all over again! Well, it wasn't as devastating… But it could become just as bad at any given moment.

"I'll check on you in a little while." Rosethorn muttered, and she slithered deeper into the den – where Ebonypaw's and her nests were. She knew that loneliness would start to tug at her belly soon. And fear. It had been awhile since she had slept alone in the den. Even though Rosethorn was the mentor, she had always found the spunky yet sweet little apprentice's presence comforting. And even when Ebonypaw had been with her, she always felt as if she could still here a different apprentice's – the Rosethorn once knew very well – cries of pain, and terror…as she was forced to endure something that not even the worst of her nightmares had been able to concoct.

She shook her head, and curled up into her nest. That had been many moons ago. Streamstar had taken care of it well. Nothing like that could ever happen again…_ Ever._ It was just a memory now…A nightmare.

Or was it? A movement beside her sent shivers down her spine, and she looked up.

She almost let out a yowl of alarm, until she recognized the scent. "What are you doing in here, Thorntail?"

The gray tom's ice-blue eyes were tired. "I wanted to comfort you over your mother, but you were busy before…so I came in here to wait…and I fell asleep."

Rosethorn let out a raspy purr, and crawled to her haunches, and let out a purr of amusement. Thorntail clearly had just woken up – his storm-colored fur was filled with burrs, and it looked like it had just survived a battle of some sort. "Thorntail, did you groom yourself yet?"

Thorntail looked at himself curiously. "No." he muttered. "You just woke me up."

Rosethorn chuckled – and suddenly remembered the warrior's reason for being with her. "You were worried about me?" she asked, and Thorntail nodded.

"I thought you might be worried about your mother, and need some comforting, or…something. And as your…" he lowered his voice, "mate, I thought that I should take it upon myself to make sure you were alright."

"Just exhausted." Rosethorn yawned to prove it. Thorntail nodded in understanding, and leaned over to gently groom her ears. Rosethorn didn't know why, but that seemed to awaken some memory from long ago as a kit… Except, of course, Thorntail hadn't been the one who was rasping his tongue over her ears – it had been her mother…Streamstar…Who was now in very real danger…And…

She dug her muzzle into Thorntail's chest, suddenly forgetting all her worries, anxieties, and fears of him from earlier.

The gray cat seemed to understand, and wrapped his tail protectively around her. "Looks like instead of cheering you up…I made you sad…"

"Don't say that!" Rosethorn growled – her voice wavering. "When I knew it was you…I was moved that you came to be with me…" as she spoke, she felt her spirits lift. "Thanks for coming to cheer me up."

"At least I've got _some_ use." Thorntail purred, licking her between her ears. "Streamstar will be fine. She's rather young, and strong…I'm as likely to go join ShadowClan as she is StarClan." Rosethorn paused for a moment, not sure how to take that, and Thorntail chuckled. "I'm not going to join ShadowClan for a long, long time." He explained, and Rosethorn chuckled.

"So…after this long, long time, you are going to go to ShadowClan?"

"Well…" Thorntail stiffened, not sure how to answer. Rosethorn knew that he had just misspoke, but either way, it was still amusing to listen to him stumble for the right way to answer her. "Well, I'm never joining ShadowClan… but I said I wouldn't join for a long, long time…because…Streamstar won't join StarClan for a long, long time…and well…um… Do you know what I mean?"

"I think so." Rosethorn purred, and some of her worry over Streamstar and Petalkit faded slightly.

"I should probably go…" Thorntail meowed suddenly. "If I stay here too long…I think some cats might get suspicious and well…We know how that went."

Thorntail was clearly referring to when Spottedlight had revealed to the Clan of Rosethorn and Thorntail's love for one another. Applefur and Blackshadow were able to cover it up with a lie…But Rosethorn doubted that if the Clan figured it out – for real this time – that there would be anything that could rescue them.

"Wait…" she meowed, stopping the gray cat in his tracks. He looked at her curiously. "Remember how I used to be? So shy, and…you know." Thorntail nodded at the memory – a quizzical look in his eyes. "I think I've changed. I used to hate myself…and I sort of wanted to be reborn as a different cat. Now…" she chuckled lightly. "I like myself, Thorntail. And I know this is going to sound weird…but I think that I like myself because of you. I used to dread tomorrow coming…but now…" she licked his cheek. "I've grown impatient, and I always wish that tomorrow would come sooner."

"Don't get all mushy." Thorntail meowed in a mock-growl…though he clearly was flattered by Rosethorn's words. He turned to go again, but she once again stopped him.

"Remember when you saved me from Runningstar?" she asked, and Thorntail nodded blankly. "Well…do you remember how I told you that I sensed a sad color in you?" she cocked her head to one side. "I can't sense that anymore. All I sense is warmth and gentleness."

Thorntail let out a purr. "You've changed me, too, Rosethorn."

…

Thorntail followed through with Rosethorn's advice, and as soon as he left her den, he began to groom his pelt. He was surprised to notice how many twigs and dust he had accumulated within it. He had been sleeping in Ebonypaw's nest! How come her fur was always smooth and glossy when she toddled around the camp? She slept in it every day! How come it was never dirty?

"I think Rosethorn must feel very miserable."

Thorntail nearly leapt out of his filthy fur, when he recognized Silverpaw's voice next to him. That cat had a nasty habit of appearing from nowhere!

Thorntail glanced at him. "Could you stop bothering me all the time?" he went back to his grooming, deciding that since he couldn't sense Silverpaw…he would pretend that the annoying apprentice wasn't there.

"Why do you dislike me so much?" Silverpaw asked him, possibly not understanding that Thorntail was trying to ignore him. "Or…are…" Silverpaw shifted, and somehow was able to catch Thorntail's eye, before he meowed, "you afraid me?"

Thorntail stopped his grooming, and leveled his gaze with Silverpaw. He felt a shiver crawl down his spine, as he noticed how emotionless the leaf-green eyes of his apprentice were. There were always emotions in eyes – and Thorntail had taught himself to always look in them, because they would tell him if a she-cat was about to swipe her claws across his face or not. But Silverpaw's were blank. Just green.

He started to weight the question in his head. Was he afraid of Silverpaw? No. He couldn't be. Silverpaw looked exactly like a she-cat…and a weak she-cat at that. He had almost killed Silverpaw without any problem. The apprentice certainly wasn't the object of his fears…But the silver tom was close. Something frightened Thorntail about Silverpaw…but he wasn't sure if it was his apprentice himself.

Then it hit him. "I think," Thorntail began, "I'm afraid." Thorntail's fur bristled, as he noticed that Silverpaw showed no emotion at that either. No joy, no smugness, no pride… Thorntail continued. "No, I'm not afraid of you." If his apprentice had felt some pride, it should've diminished there. "What I'm afraid of, is losing the thing that I cherish most _because_ of you." He let out a hiss. "Now I have something that I want to protect." He thought of Rosethorn – back when she was still just Rosepaw, terror-struck as Runningstar began to feel her privates under her belly with his tail. Then he recalled how she had licked his wounds when the memories of Graywhisker came flooding back. How she still had loved him even after knowing the truth…

"I've found someone that I don't want to lose." Thorntail meowed firmly. He shrugged. "If you want to call it being weak, I don't really give a mouse-tail. I don't really want anyone to think that I'm strong." Thorntail noticed that Silverpaw had narrowed his eyes…and he could've sworn that he saw scorn flash within their green depths. "I don't want to pretend that I'm strong either." Thorntail went on. "It's such a boring kit-game, Silverpaw. Play it by yourself." He got to his paws. "Don't bother me anymore. When Streamstar gets better, I'll speak to her about your warrior ceremony. After that, I don't ever want to speak to you again."

Thorntail suddenly noticed Blackshadow and Applefur by the nursery. The ginger queen looked flustered, probably worried about her daughter, and Blackshadow seemed to be comforting her. Thorntail decided to go assist his friend, and padded over to join them, knowing full well of Silverpaw's gaze burning into his pelt.

…

Thorntail opened his mouth to taste the air. Ebonypaw had sent him to find Rosethorn, who had left the camp long ago in search for chickweed. Apparently it was something about Streamstar, though Ebonypaw hadn't revealed the details. However, her scent was beginning to fade…

He looked around curiously. Her scent trail had led him close to the RiverClan border. An idea sparked within him, and he padded towards it. There was a large dip into RiverClan territory from ThunderClan, and this was a blessing, because all Thorntail had to do to see if there were any RiverClan cats about was peak down. To his joy, he saw one. He couldn't believe his luck. Owlpelt!

"Owlpelt!" he called out to his old friend from RiverClan. The brown tabby had been hunting in the river, but at the yowl from his friend, he started to trudge up the hill to see him.

"Hello, Thorntail." Owlpelt dipped his head.

Thorntail decided to get straight to the point. "Did you happen to see Rosethorn walk by?"

He was relieved to see that Owlpelt nodded. "Yes, I think she went by SunningRocks."

"Oh. Okay, thanks." Thorntail turned to go after her, but Owlpelt stopped him.

"You know, you're not the only cat who asked about her."

Thorntail glanced into his friend's amber eyes, confused. "Who?"

Owlpelt shrugged. "A white she-cat."

A white she-cat? The only cat in the Clan that fit that description was Icepelt… Had Ebonypaw sent out other warriors to find her mentor? Thorntail decided to ask and make sure. "Was this a small, pretty-" Owlpelt cut him off.

"Right." He purred. "A small, pretty white she-cat who was missing the tip of her tail."

…

Rosethorn slowly gathered up her chickweed – that she had accidentally spilled all over one of the stones in SunningRocks. Her anxiety was starting to rise up again. Would her mother really be okay? Sure, Streamstar and her had never had the strongest mother-daughter bond in the history of the forest…but…Streamstar was the closest kin she had left. The next closest, were Iriskit and Hollowkit, Spottedstar's young kittens. Spottedstar had been her cousin…

Her heart lurched as she noticed that she had accidentally dropped some into RiverClan's river. (The river flowed right next to SunningRocks, but it the drop to it was too steep for ThunderClan cats to hunt in it.)

Behind her, she heard a noise. Rosethorn turned her head, and was startled to see Silverpaw hardly even two-tail lengths behind her. "Silverpaw?" she asked curiously.

"What an unlucky cat you are!" he meowed cheerfully, taking a paw-step towards her. "To have your mother get sick – right when ThunderClan is at its weakest."

Rosethorn was about to argue that ThunderClan was fairly strong, when she noticed that Silverpaw's claws were unsheathed.

"Don't worry." He purred cheerfully. "I'll make it easier for you in a moment."

Rosethorn blinked curiously. What did he mean by that? Did he find some cure for Greencough? An instant cure?

It was a possibility. He looked so cheerful, and happy. Much different then the normal Silverpaw she'd found hanging around recently. But why were his claws unsheathed?

"I don't really want to kill you." Silverpaw explained, and Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head as she noticed how malicious his tone was. If he didn't want to kill her, why was he talking like that? "But…it can't be helped."

Rosethorn felt her fur stand on end. Great StarClan…he was going to…he was going to… She didn't want to think about that right now! Instead, she gave into the instinct that was yowling in her ear. Rosethorn didn't need to be yowled at twice. She started to pelt off, and away from her crazed Clanmate, but she hardly got a fox-length away before Silverpaw blocked her path. She tried the other way. Same thing happened…

Fear jolted through her, and she looked behind her, looking for a different way to escape. Nothing but the river. "W..why?" she burst out, turning her attention back to where it should be – at the cat that apparently wanted to kill her.

Silverpaw shrugged. "Because it's fun." He took another step towards her. "And because every day you exist, Thorntail becomes more...and more...tame. You've created a cheap morality in him." he flexed his claws. "I say kill you and be done with you." He let out a chuckle. "Well, actually, I don't plan on killing you _myself_. But…" he flicked his tail behind Rosethorn – towards the now-rapid river. "That's what I'd like you to jump into."

Rosethorn stared blankly at the river, momentarily distracted from Silverpaw. There was no way she could survive that. The current would smash her against rocks…and she'd die instantly… Then it hit her. Silverpaw wanted her to commit suicide!

* * *

**Bad cliffie, I know. And you're probably saying 'Uh...what the heck? Where's the motivation for this, Silverpaw?' Well, I go into that in the next chapter... **

**Anyways, for actually reading this far into this sorry excuse for fanfiction...you get...a... Second-edition Ebonypaw plushie! YAY!**


	10. Chapter 9

**I think I'm better at emotional scenes, then scenes with suspence and fear. Sorry about that. FORGIVE THIS CHAPTER! -cough- Especially the ending, which was needed, because...well, it foreshadows _things._ **

**Mapleleaf- I went as fast as I could! LONG REVIEWS! PLEASE! -begs- Remember who the WindClan deputy is!**

**Steeltalon- Silverpaw's motive is twisted. You'll see.**

**Frost-Fire15Boldheart's Loyalty- His mother? I think that I mentioned that Silverpaw's mother was Tawnyleaf. We actually get to know her later, when RiverClan starts playing a big part... she's one of those characters that some people will love, and some will hate.**

**Oceanwind- I took your advice! **

**Cinderpelt's Heiress- Thank you very much!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Wow! Someone who actually likes Streamstar! YAY! (You'll hate her by the time this is over though. I guarentee you.) **

**Stangefur- There will be a couple of typos here too. Trust me, I looked over it, but...well, it's a long story. And I like Silverpaw too! He's my favorite character! YAY! Once again, he might get his own fanfiction. He'd have to share the spotlight with BlackshadowxApplefur's son, Blazekit...but that's okay, (YES! A SEQUEL OF THIS SERIES MIGHT BECOME SOMETHING, PEEPS! Maybe. Depends on my mood) **

**Daklotles85- First off, Baykit isn't mentioned in this chapter. But TIBERKIT IS! YAY TIBERKIT! Anyways, you asked me earlier (way back) how old Silverpaw is, and I've been dying to answer, but I keep forgetting! Silverpaw is Twilightfur's age... (A young warrior) He's probably a few moons or seasons younger then Thorntail...but they are close in age. **

**Dragon-Star - And bingo was his name-O!**

**Thanks for reviewing everyone! I'll explain some of the motivations at the end of this chapter, since I'm not skilled enough of a writer to point it out in the story... -sniff-**

* * *

Rosethorn felt her heart pound in her chest. It was pounding so loud, she thought that perhaps the feminine-looking tom a few tail-lengths from her would be able to hear it. But if he could pick up the sound of her heart's distress, there was no sign of it in his leaf-green eyes. 

Rosethorn once again looked behind her at the river. If she jumped in, was there any chance of her survival? The water was pounding against some rather large rocks, and was flowing fast. She was pretty sure that she'd meet StarClan if she followed through with Silverpaw's suggestion of jumping. But…

She flashed her gaze back at Thorntail's apprentice. She almost let out a squeak of fear, but somehow was able to hold it in. She hadn't noticed how long and sharp Silverpaw's talons were. They caught the light of the sun above them, and glittered… She could just imagine them covered with blood. Her blood.

"You're not sure what to do?" Silverpaw asked, and Rosethorn jolted her gaze from his claws, and stared at his face. She let out a hiss of surprise. She had expected for Silverpaw…to show some anger, or hatred. Don't you usually kill cats when you dislike them – or are furious at them? Not that Rosethorn would know…but it seemed from all the legends and such that those two emotions were what usually motivated murder. But Silverpaw… He didn't have either of those two feelings anywhere on his face. He didn't hate her… He wasn't angry… In fact, he just looked rather friendly. And his tone was as if he was soothing her after some traumatic incident. Like almost being murdered, or something. Ironic.

Silverpaw rolled his eyes when Rosethorn didn't answer his question. "If you jump in the river, you'll die instantly. However, if you _force_ me," he emphasized the word 'force' as if Rosethorn was threatening to rip his limbs off if he didn't kill her… "to slash your throat, you'll probably suffer for awhile. I'm doing you a favor. How do you wish to join this StarClan of yours?"

Rosethorn felt a shiver. There was nothing cold or malicious in Silverpaw's tone. Why… Why then was he killing her, if he didn't seem to dislike her? She didn't bother to ask. Instead, she growled, "Don't you know the penalty for killing a Clanmate?" her voice wavered like a leaf in the water, as she felt pure terror give energy to every hair on her pelt.

Silverpaw stared blankly at her for a moment, and then let out an exasperated sigh. "Why don't you understand?" he asked. "I don't want to kill you. I want you to jump into the river all by yourself." Silverpaw started to pad towards her, and Rosethorn stumbled backwards to stay as far away from him as physically possible… when she felt one of her back paws slip into the large dip – that if she fell in, would eventually take her to the river. She quickly got her four paws back on the earth once more, and Silverpaw continued. "You know how I already killed Goldclaw? Well, I think a second murder would look bad." As if one didn't look bad enough! Rosethorn wanted to yowl that out to him, but held her tongue. This was no time to argue with him! It might just make him make his decision quicker. "I got blood all over me…" Silverpaw spat crossly. "It was no fun at all. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Thorntail got those two annoying deputies on the lookout for me- Ravenfeather and Sandpelt." The ShadowClan and ThunderClan deputies. Rosethorn was suddenly grateful for Thorntail's eternal suspicion of the silver tom. However, at the moment it didn't seem to be doing her much good. Fear was pulsating through her veins. Silverpaw actually wanted her dead…there was no doubt…

"The only cat in the forest, who really understands me…" Silverpaw meowed, "Is Thorntail." Rosethorn looked sharply at him. She wanted to yowl to him that Thorntail was different from her wanna-be killer (who might not be such a wanna-be soon). Thorntail was warm, and kind! He had his moments…but that was only because…well… She didn't need to think about why! He was a loyal, strong, ThunderClan warrior who gave all the cats around him a feeling of safety (unless his claws were aimed at you!) Silverpaw on the otherpaw… Well, he wanted to kill Rosethorn. It wasn't exactly a feeling of safety.

"And you," Silverpaw continued, narrowing his eyes as he took another few pawsteps towards her, "You infected him with your worthless views." Rosethorn noticed for the first time, that Silverpaw seemed to be annoyed with her. It was hard to tell, however, since the tom wasn't yowling out his words. In fact, his mews were almost without emotion. "That's unforgivable." Silverpaw meowed – letting some cheerfulness slip in finally. "Only if you disappear from this forest, will Thorntail find his old self. His _true _self." Silverpaw emphasized. Silverpaw cocked his head to the side, and looked thoughtful. "Just like he was four seasons ago, when Graywhisker died." Rosethorn felt her eyes widen. For an instant, she forgot about her fear, and was filled with wonder. How did Silverpaw know about Graywhisker? Most of ThunderClan didn't even know… the only cats in the forest who knew the full story were Rosethorn, Thorntail himself – and possibly a few RiverClan cats. Silverpaw didn't fit into any of those categories!

She noticed his claws again, and forgot her wonder – and her terror returned, and took its rightful place of making sure that she focused on Silverpaw, and got ready to fight for her life.

"That's the real Thorntail." Silverpaw meowed, and Rosethorn found herself shaking her head in disagreement. The real Thorntail was not what Silverpaw thought he was! The real Thorntail was the one that hid in her den to make sure she was alright, the one that rescued her from creepy WindClan leaders that comforted her about her mother, that defended her from Applefur's jealous wrath – because he had promised that he would protect her…even if the whole forest slandered her name! The fake Thorntail – a pitiful substitute- was the one that threatened to claw Rabbitfur's eyes or ears off, who had bitten Silverpaw's tail-tip off…the one that had purred with Silverpaw at the thought of murder! That was the fake one! Silverpaw was wrong! Wrong!

…

Thorntail's legs thumped against the earth – and he was well aware of how loud he was being. But right now, he wasn't worrying about silence – he needed to go fast! He had said something to Silverpaw yesterday that his apprentice probably hadn't enjoyed…and if Silverpaw had even bothered to ask a RiverClan warrior like Owlpelt if they had seen Rosethorn…then…then…well…

The image of Rosethorn's broken body laying in SunningRocks flashed in his mind.

Even if Silverpaw was an easy opponent for Thorntail, Rosethorn had never received any Warriors training. At all. She had spent all her apprenticeship trying to learn how to be a medicine cat without a mentor. Heck, she could barely hunt! Silverpaw, on the other paw, had received some Warriors Training, both from the late Goldclaw…and probably just on sheer practice too…

Thorntail shook his head. He was probably just worrying too much… Would Silverpaw really be crazy enough to kill the medicine cat on her own territory?

He slowed down a tad, and let out a soft chuckle. No cat would be that out of their mind…

Then he remembered how Silverpaw had murdered his own mentor, in ShadowClan territory – and hadn't even tried to hide it.

Thorntail broke into a run once more.

…

Silverpaw's muzzle was hardly a mouse-length from Rosethorn's, as she spoke. Her voice wavered slightly, especially as she noticed how he was flexing his claws, but somehow she was able to choke the words out. "Even if I die," she growled, "Thorntail won't change!" If only she believed her own words! After Graywhisker, Thorntail had lost his mind – but he been able to get some sanity back after awhile. But how would he cope from losing Rosethorn as well? Then it hit her. Thorntail wouldn't ever become like that again. He had two loyal friends back in ThunderClan – Applefur and Blackshadow – who would comfort him, and make sure he stayed sane. What's more, he was stronger now… "No matter what happens," she meowed, and she noticed that her voice had stopped shaking – even as Silverpaw's leaf-green eyes burned into her sky-blue, "Thorntail won't ever become the cat you want him to."

Silverpaw let out a purr of amusement, and raised a claw. "Really?" he asked. "How interesting. Then let's see if your Thorntail, or my Thorntail, is the _real _Thorntail." At that, Silverpaw backed away a few paw-steps, and Rosethorn felt a flicker of hope. Would Silverpaw wait for awhile, to see Thorntail's true colors? She took a few tentative steps away from the edge of the drop to the river.

Instantly, once she was in range, she felt Silverpaw launch himself at her. She let out a yowl of fear, and she vainly tried to struggle away from him. She was overjoyed, when she miraculously was able to push him off of her. He tumbled a few fox-lengths away, and she leapt to her paws. In a mad dash, she started to rush off. But she hadn't gotten even four tail-lengths away, before she noticed that at some point, Silverpaw had gotten up – and had run ahead of her. He was now blocking her path, and before she could register that she should probably veer into a different direction, he padded towards her, and swiped one of his claws out in front of her – and Rosethorn, trying to avoid being slashed, fell onto her side.

Silverpaw loomed over her, his eyes blinking with confusion. "You still won't jump into the river?" he asked curiously, and for a fleeting moment, Rosethorn felt that that would be a welcome possibility. It didn't seem that she would be getting away any time soon… But…

She shook the thought away. She wouldn't give up. She wasn't a coward, who couldn't face life – she wasn't Graywhisker!

At her silence, Silverpaw nodded. "Look like I'll have to help you."

Before Rosethorn could react, Silverpaw flicked his head out, and dug his fangs into her neck. She felt the sharp points of them dig into her, and she let out a yowl of pain. Never before had a cat ever fought her like this – or tried to kill her. She was a medicine cat, so whenever their camp was raided, the enemy warriors usually tried to bat her out of the way…

She felt the energy begin to leave her body, as well as her blood. Her vision faded – Silverpaw was now just an ominous blur in front of her.

She flicked her gaze about, to take in all of the blurs around her. Her instinct's voice was now hardly more than a squeak, but it was still loud enough for her to hear its advice on finding some way to get out of this bad situation…

Then she saw it. Silverpaw was concentrating so far and killing her by digging his fangs into her throat that he hadn't even given a second though of where his paws were. One of them was very close to her muzzle. She wrapped her jaws around it, and dug her fangs into her attacker's leg, just as Silverpaw was burying his fangs into her throat. At her hard bite, he let out a yowl of pain. It took Rosethorn a heartbeat to realize that he had let go of her throat.

She stumbled to her paws, but fell to her side again. Silverpaw had taken a lot of blood… Her limbs were in no mood to listen to her.

She stared up at Silverpaw, who was now furiously licking his blood off of his front leg. When he was done with that, he turned his attention to her, and Rosethorn let out a small squeak. His whole muzzle was covered in blood! She knew that she hadn't been able to draw much blood from his leg…Then she realized that the scarlet on his muzzle…belonged to her! She exhaustedly looked around, and noticed that she was practically lying in a pool of her own blood. If Silverpaw wanted to, he could just leave her – and she'd die on her own from blood loss, eventually.

Silverpaw trotted over to her, and gave her a quick lick on the ear – and she shivered, as she realized how affectionate the lick was. She blinked, as she remembered Silverpaw's crush on her. Great StarClan! Did he still have those feelings? If so, this was no way to woo a she-cat! Killing her never worked!

She didn't get to think of that sickening possibility long, because Silverpaw spoke again. "Looks like you really don't want to die." For some reason, his voice was shocked. "Haven't all those tragedies been enough?" At his words, Rosethorn looked up, startled at him. How did he know…? "I know all about your past, Rosethorn." He meowed, rubbing his muzzle against her bleeding neck. He lowered himself, and stared at her square in the eye. "You can find out anything, if you try hard enough. Speaking of…" he looked around curiously, and lowered his voice. "Does Thorntail know yet?" he blinked. "Would Thorntail still _pretend_ to love you, if he knew?"

Rosethorn would've gasped if she had the strength. Suddenly, her mind flashed over the moons past, and she remembered the flame-colored pelt…the emerald eyes burning into her own…as…as…

Silverpaw continued, "I'd thought that if you committed suicide, nobody would really think to hard as of why. Even your mother wouldn't be able to blame you after going through something like that." He shrugged. "It's a shame. It seems that I've changed my mind." He licked some of her blood off of his muzzle. "Now I want to kill you myself." He laid his tail on her side. "This way, it's more painful…But I'll try to make it short," he promised in a slightly-soothing voice. "I'll kill you like I did Goldclaw." Rosethorn wanted to yowl at her limbs to get up and run, but they refused to listen. They felt as heavy as the Great Oaks in Fourtrees. Silverpaw lifted one of his forepaws into the air, to finish her with a quick slash of his claw.

Rosethorn closed her eyes, waiting for the agony of what was sure to come.

It didn't come. She heard some startled mews of pain, and for a fleeting heartbeat, she thought that it was her in her dying moments…and maybe…maybe…it was time for her to join StarClan.

She slowly opened her eyes, half-expecting to see her father, Crimsonspirit, welcoming her as a warrior of Silverpaw, where she'd never feel pain, or fear again…

Her eyes widened, as she realized what was going on.

Silverpaw was floating in the air!

Wait, no.

Thorntail had come to her rescue! Her beloved Thorntail had come!

The gray warrior had his jaws wrapped firmly around Silverpaw's neck, and he was shaking his apprentice violently. Finally, growing bored of this game; he spit Silverpaw out, and started attacking Silverpaw's side in a crescendo of ferocious swipes.

Rosethorn watched for a moment. She felt odd. She knew she should be happy to see Silverpaw get what was coming to him – a death at Thorntail's claws – but…for some reason…She was even more terrified now, than she was when Silverpaw was trying to kill her. Why? Well, she knew why.

"Thorntail…" she meowed weakly, but the gray tom didn't seem to notice. He went on with his attack on the former ShadowClan cat.

"Thorntail…" she growled, somehow finding some strength in her to speak a little louder.

She couldn't see what was going on from her bleeding state on her side, but she could see that Thorntail's claws were already covered in blood. Silverpaw was lying on the ground, unmoving, and she wondered if Thorntail had killed him. But as the warrior slashed again at his apprentice – sending more scarlet flecks into the air – Silverpaw let out a squeak of pain. He wasn't dead.

"Thorntail!" she yowled and Thorntail looked curiously over at her. However, once he realized that she wasn't being harmed by another attacker, he went on with tossing Silverpaw around – like a kit would toss a ball of moss.

As Silverpaw tumbled to the ground once more, Rosethorn could just hear his purr of amusement. Why was he… purring?

"Look at the avenging warrior of StarClan!" Silverpaw meowed cheerfully – which was odd, since from even Rosethorn's position, she could see that he was covered with crimson blood. "You disgust me." The words were directed at Thorntail, who let out a snarl.

"I don't live for your enjoyment." He growled, his tail flicking dismissively. "Die, Silverpaw!" He raised a claw into the air, and Rosethorn let out a yowl of alarm. She leapt to her paws, and pounded towards Thorntail. For a moment, she wondered why she couldn't run before, when Silverpaw was trying to kill her…but her limbs were happy to listen to her now that she was out of harm's way. Then she realized. She wasn't running for herself anymore. She was running for Thorntail. If he killed his apprentice…

She threw herself on top of Silverpaw's bleeding body, and she stared up at Thorntail, her nostrils flaring.

He looked at her like she was crazy. "Get off, Rosethorn." He meowed, gently laying his tail on her shoulder. "This cat tried to kill you. He's just going to do it again. He needs to die." Rosethorn felt a shiver crawl down her spine, as she noticed the contrast between Silverpaw and Thorntail. Silverpaw had shown no hatred or maliciousness when he went to kill her – as creepy as that was. But Thorntail…his eyes seemed filled to the brim with pure loathing.

"No!" she yowled, and she looked down at the bleeding cat she had thrown herself on top of. Silverpaw seemed a little miffed at her himself, and she wondered if he had hoped to die by Thorntail's claw. She shook the thought away, and looked back up at Thorntail. "You can't kill him. You'll regret it eventually." She knew he would. Maybe not today – or even in the next few seasons. But eventually, he would start feeling a pang of guilt that he had killed his apprentice – when he could have avoided doing so. The Warrior Code said that you should only kill if there was no way around it… And there were numerous ways to get around Silverpaw right now. "Please, Thorntail." She pleaded. "Don't do this."

"Get off of Silverpaw, Rosethorn." Thorntail growled.

"Only if you promise that you won't kill him." She shook her head. "I don't want to see you go through what you did with Graywhisker! I don't, Thorntail."

The gray warrior looked like he wanted nothing more than to strangle Silverpaw with his own lungs, but he let out a sigh. "I promise, Rosethorn."

Trusting her mate, Rosethorn attempted to roll off of Silverpaw. She failed, miserably. Thorntail grabbed the scruff of his neck, and – Rosethorn wasn't alert enough to realize how – somehow got her onto his back.

He gently licked her ear, before he turned his attention back to Silverpaw, who was staring up at the two cats very calmly.

"If you ever do anything like this to Rosethorn again," Thorntail vowed – gently rubbing Rosethorn with his tail as he spoke, "I swear by StarClan that I'll kill you." Silverpaw started to purr, but Thorntail ignored it and went on. "No matter where you go. No matter where you hide. No matter what you do. Even if StarClan themselves beg me not to. I will kill you."

Seeming to think that that ended the matter, he slowly started to pad off, with his mate safely on his back, but Silverpaw stopped him with a soft mew.

"Thorntail, I think I've figured out the reason that you hate me." Silverpaw let out a purr. "Because when you run from me, it's like running from yourself!" Silverpaw paused for a moment, and then yowled, "Closeness breeds hatred!" it was directed at both Thorntail and Rosethorn, but neither cat answered.

Thorntail, with his mate, padded through the ferns, and left the crazed cat.

…

Rosethorn let her legs dangle from Thorntail's side, as he carried her back to camp. Now that it was all said and done, she couldn't get Silverpaw's words out of her mind. How had he known about… well…_ It. _There were only three cats in the forest that knew. Streamstar, Rosethorn herself…and…and…the other one. How had Silverpaw learned about that dark splotch on her life?

She couldn't think of the possibilities long, however, because Thorntail started to give her some brisk advice.

"Whatever you do, stay away from him." Thanks for the tip. As if Rosethorn didn't know that already…however…something tugged at her paws. She knew that she had to speak to Silverpaw now… She shook her head. No reason to worry Thorntail about that. "And don't leave camp alone." Thorntail meowed, flashed a glance onto his back, and at her. "When we get back to camp, I'm going to speak to Sandpelt right away. No matter what, I'm not dropping this issue with Silverpaw…" Thorntail stopped in his tracks, and looked down at his paws. Rosethorn felt that he was shivering from her position on his back. "That piece of fox-dung's really insane." Thorntail's voice was scarcely over a whisper. "He was going to kill you for absolutely no reason other than to satisfy his own desires. He was going to…" he trailed off, and was silent for a moment, before he spoke again. "And me. To think that I was really going to kill him…"

"That's different." Rosethorn spoke for the first time since her small explanation on why Thorntail shouldn't kill Silverpaw. "You were trying to protect me."

"No." Thorntail's mew was sharp. He flashed a glance back at her, and held her blue gaze with his own. "You don't understand what I was really thinking." He shook his head gently. "By the end it was just because I wanted to kill him. It sounded like fun… I hated him and couldn't stand it!" he touched her with his tail. "If you weren't with me, Rosethorn…if I didn't need to take you back to camp… I'd probably go back there, and claw off every mound of flesh on his body. I'd slash him until there wasn't a drop of blood left in his veins!" his voice started to shake. "Have I gone crazy?" he asked to no one in particular, and Rosethorn didn't know how to answer that one. "Am I…am I really like Silverpaw?"

Not knowing what else to do, Rosethorn gently lifted her head to lick his ears.

…

Rosethorn blinked open her eyes, and looked around curiously. She must've passed out on the way to camp at some point, because she couldn't remember Thorntail ever putting her into the mossy nest… which was where she was, with Ebonypaw looming over her, a worried look in the black cat's green eyes.

"You're awake!" Ebonypaw meowed, relieved, as she pressed her muzzle against Rosethorn's side, which was covered with cobwebs. "Oh, are you okay, Rosethorn?"

Rosethorn thought for a moment. "I ache a little, but…" she looked at herself curiously. The bleeding had stopped – it seemed to be because of the cobwebs. "And I feel a little weak, but other then that, I feel alright. You did an excellent job, Ebonypaw." She meowed referring to how skillfully the cobwebs were wrapped around her wounds.

Ebonypaw dipped her head, accepting the praise. "What happened, Rosethorn?" she meowed. "Thorntail told me that you were attacked, but he didn't tell me!" she pouted. "He went to speak to Sandpelt as soon as he saw that you were going to be taken care of…"

Rosethorn blinked, wondering for a moment what had happened. Then she remembered. She decided not to tell Ebonypaw yet, however. "I'm sure Sandpelt will tell you soon enough." She sighed, and Ebonypaw let out a soft hiss of fury.

The black apprentice opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could, she was practically knocked over by one of Sandpelt's kittens. Rosethorn recognized him instantly – it was the tom-kit. The golden-brown tabby tom, Tiberkit. He was now crawling around on Ebonypaw's shoulder, before he noticed Rosethorn.

"Oh! She's awake! Hiya, Rosethorn!" he leapt off of Ebonypaw, and toddled towards her and Rosethorn let out a purr. "Ebonypaw's watchin' me and Robinkit while my Mommy talks to Thorntail!"

Rosethorn nodded blankly at the tiny tom, and wondered for a moment where Robinkit was. Then she noticed the pretty black-and-ginger kit peeking out from behind Ebonypaw.

"Is…is…is Rosethorn contagious?" the kit asked the medicine cat apprentice curiously, and Ebonypaw purred good naturedly.

"Very. If you get to close to her, you might get Leader's Disease."

Rosethorn sustained a purr, and Tiberkit turned his gaze up the night-colored she-cat. "What's Leader's disease?" he asked, and Ebonypaw licked her lips, clearly enjoying the thought of filling the kit's minds with nonsense.

"If you get to close, StarClan will force you to become leader of a Clan one day!"

Tiberkit gasped with joy, and rushed towards Rosethorn. He placed a small paw on her side, and Rosethorn gently licked him between the ears.

He let out a joyous purr, and turned to his sister. "Call my Tiberstar!" he declared. "I'm going to be leader of ThunderClan!" he swiped his claws into the air. "I dare any cat to oppose my rank!"

"Robinkit opposes your rank!" Ebonypaw meowed, using her tail to usher the small kitten out from behind her. Robinkit squeaked with alarm, and instantly went back to hiding. Ebonypaw let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't you want to be leader, Robinkit?"

"No!" The kitten cried. "I just want to be a queen, and have kits! Is that so much to ask?"

"No! Be a queen! Give ThunderClan many warriors!" Tiberkit started to pace around Rosethorn. "Meanwhile, I'll protect the medicine cat!"

"Yes, yes." Ebonypaw purred. "Now, Tiberstar, could you take that nursing queen there," she flicked her tail towards Robinkit, "And go find the rest of your Clan? I'd like to speak to Rosethorn alone for a few moments." By the rest of Tiberkit's Clan, Rosethorn knew that Ebonypaw was referring to the rest of the kits. Tiberkit nodded in agreement, and called for his sister. Then the two kits rushed out, and darted towards the nursery – where Rosethorn could just see Dusktail greet them.

"How long have I been out?" Rosethorn asked her apprentice, and Ebonypaw shrugged.

"Not long." She purred.

Rosethorn sighed heavily. "How is Streamstar? And the other cats?"

Ebonypaw sighed heavily, and looked at her paws. "Streamstar isn't much better…and…well…I'm not sure if Petalkit will be with us much longer." Rosethorn closed her eyes, pained. Poor Petalkit! Applefur would be heartbroken!

"What about Flowertail and Onepaw?"

Ebonypaw didn't answer for a moment. "Onepaw died." She rasped. "And Flowertail…she's on the border between ThunderClan and StarClan. Blackshadow's with her now." Blackshadow was Flowertail's oldest son. But…Rosethorn flicked her gaze about. She couldn't see any of them…or scent them.

Ebonypaw seemed to sense Rosethorn's curiosity, because she explained. "We're in Spottedlight's old den." She meowed. "I didn't want you to catch Greencough."

"Good thinking." Rosethorn muttered, and realized that she must be even more out of it then she had thought, because she hadn't even noticed that she wasn't in the medicine cat's den. Suddenly, she remembered something she had to do. "Ebonypaw," she meowed softly, "Has Silverpaw returned to the camp yet?"

Ebonypaw nodded blankly. "Yeah. He was injured pretty badly…was he with you when you were attacked?" Oh, if only Ebonypaw knew!

"Something like that." Rosethorn mewed softly. "I'd like to speak to him, alone." she stared into Ebonypaw's emerald eyes. "Could you fetch him for me?"

…

As Silverpaw slipped into the den, Rosethorn felt her heart lurch. Okay, she admitted it. She was completely out of her mind for actually asking Ebonypaw to fetch him… But… she had to settle this. This was something she had to do, before Silverpaw was forced to leave the Clan.

Silverpaw settled himself down beside her, and gave his chest a few licks. "When I heard you wanted me, you gave my quite a scare, Rosethorn." He stopped his wash, and lowered himself so he could stare into Rosethorn's ice-blue eyes. "Aren't you afraid of me after what happened?"

His emotionless leaf-green eyes sent shivers down Rosethorn's spine. "Of course I'm afraid." She meowed, and she was pleased to see that though her voice was soft, it didn't waver. She didn't flinch from his gaze, as she went on. "But I'm envious of you too."

Silverpaw's whiskers twitched.

Rosethorn looked at her paws. "To be able to do what you desire…I guess I wish I could do that too." She unsheathed her claws, and thought of all the times she had longed to dig them into an enemy's flesh – but had stopped herself. "If everyone you hated went to join StarClan…" she found herself purring at the thought, "I guess that would be very satisfying." Silverpaw chuckled, and Rosethorn flicked her ears. It was rather pointless to hide anything from him – he did, after all, know the part of her past that she had kept hiding from every cat. Even from Thorntail. He most likely knew what she was referencing…and he probably knew who she wished she could have sent to StarClan.

"But…to have to kill to get this satisfaction…" Rosethorn shrugged. "I guess I wouldn't mind." She let out a purr, and stared Silverpaw square in the eye. "I mean, if I was crazy."

Silverpaw let out a ferocious hiss, and Rosethorn felt fear jolt through her. But she was in her own Camp. If he tried anything… a yowl would be all it would take. Just a yowl.

"You're right." She conceded. "I'm just a normal medicine cat of ThunderClan. I'm not insane." She narrowed her eyes, and decided it was time to dig this into Silverpaw's mind. "You think you're living a life where you're free to do anything. But in reality, you've lost yourself. You've forgotten who you are. Forgotten your dreams." She sighed. "You're doing nothing but existing – you have no real purpose." She gave her chest a few self-conscious licks. "When I spoke to Thorntail, I told him that a lot of colors come to mind when I think of him. Warm colors. Protective colors…and some colors that I can't even name." she thought for a moment of a title for the color, but couldn't think of one. "It's very hard to name all the colors that make up his personality. It would take me moons to name them all." She stared triumphant at Silverpaw. "But it would be easy to name yours. It's simple, Silverpaw. The only color that I can sense from you is black. Nothing." She pressed.

"You're nothing like Thorntail." She curled her upper lip into a snarl. "You can't change anyone." Her voice was firm, and though terror was burning through every limb in her body, she wanted to dare Silverpaw to argue with her.

But he didn't. He just stared at her for a few heartbeats, before he padded out of the den.

* * *

**Yes. Bad ending. Now, I didn't go into Rosethorn's head much in the last bit...why? Because that would give out MAJOR spoilers. I think within the next two chapters we'll get the whole story on her past...but I could be wrong. **

**Anyways, I wanted to give her some backbone - and get a final dig at Silverpaw, before I kick him out of my story. For now...**

**Yes, I didn't kill Silverpaw. But that's because he is that DA DA DA DA main antgonist! He disappears for a little while, but he comes back, and you'll all curse at the heavens! Hopefully. When you get a villain that most people hate, you keep him around. That way, I think you guys will root for Thorntail and Rosethorn more - yes? But don't worry. He'll be gone for a little while.**

**Anyways...if you review this chapter, you'll get a Tiberkit plushie! YAY TIBERKIT! The son of Sandpelt, and Swiftfoot! YAY!**


	11. Chapter 10

**First off, I need to say some things! **

**YAY THINGS!**

**x.Skyheart.X- Well, I didn't find you too critisizing at all I don't think I wrote that sentence right but I'm not gonna change it. Most of the things you said...well, I say to myself everytime I re-read the chapter when it's up the site. Sure, I read it a few times when it's newly written, but I miss things. I usually write just one chapter a weak. I write it. I spend the rest of the week looking over it. Making my writing style better (you'll notice that I'm almost pathetic in my writing skills. Especially with this particular chapter.) I asked me reviewers, 'Hey, would you like QUALITY or QUANITY more?' The answers were mostly quanity. And they seem to review more when I write...well...not as well, but quick. I do use a spellchecker, but...eh... yeah. I agree with you completely - but I had to defend myself. But you keep critiquing me like you just did! I need all the help I can get! Oh, and I think I sent you a PM about the words 'molest' and 'break-up' XD I agree with you there, too! Thank you! **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Well, I think it's because unlike in Warriors, my characters have a somewhat sense of guuilt... 'Killing ain't always the answer!' that's...sort of the moral in this fanfiction. 'Killing isn't the answer, but violence IS!' xD **

**Thanks to you all for reviewing! YAY!**

_Silverpaw's leaf-green eyes bore into her own sapphire, and he swiped his tongue around his blood-stained muzzle, before he mewed, __"Haven't all those tragedies been enough?"… As he spoke, Rosethorn noticed that a dark ginger tom had padded to the feminine-looking tom's side. But if Silverpaw had noticed him, he gave no indication. The flame-colored tom rubbed his muzzle against her bleeding neck. _

_"Are you alright, Rosepaw?" he asked her curiously, and Rosethorn suddenly felt her body shrink…back to the size it had been when she had been Rosepaw, and had last seen this sorry-excuse for a cat. _

_He gently rasped his tongue against her fur. "I love you, Rosepaw. How I _wish _you could see that," _

_Even as the big, orange tom spoke, Rosethorn noticed that his claws were unsheathed. She felt a tugging in her paws to rush towards Silverpaw – even he, who wanted nothing more than to see her body crumpled and broken beneath his paws, was more preferable then… _him.

_Sunningrocks melted away right before her eyes, taking Silverpaw with it…and leaving her alone, in what seemed to be the medicine cat's den…with the orange tom. _

_As his emerald eyes dug into hers, and as she vainly tried to claw at the ginger tom-cat, she could just hear Silverpaw's words in her ear from earlier: _

'Does Thorntail know yet?'

_She took another vein swipe at her tormentor with her in the den, and with an odd feeling of glee, she noticed that she had drew blood. But her purrs were cut short as Silverpaw's voice went on: _

_'Would Thorntail still pretend to love you if he knew?' _

Before Rosethorn could answer the question, or claw the big orange tom once more, she felt her eyes bolt open. Her dream lingered in her mind for a few heartbeats, but finally, she was distracted from it when she caught the ice-blue eyes of Applefur, whose tongue was rasping along her medicine cat's ears.

"Oh. Hello, Applefur." Rosethorn yawned, slightly relieved to see her trusted pal. "Did I doze off?"

Applefur let out a rumbling purr. "For about a dawn." Applefur announced, and Rosethorn looked up, startled. She had slept for a whole _dawn_? Why hadn't any cat bothered to wake her up? That explained that laziness that was tugging on her paws! When did this happen? She had passed out when Thorntail had taken her back to camp…and then had taken a short nap after her little conversation with Silverpaw… She tried to remember what happened after that. All she could remember was…well… the conversation she had just had a moment ago with her ginger friend, Applefur…about how long she had slept.

"How did that happen?" Rosethorn meowed, instantly beginning to give herself a quick wash. However, she was relieved as she noticed how easy it was to lift her neck to do so. Maybe the long sleep had helped her wounds heal – she felt as if she could run to HighStones and back without a single problem.

Applefur shrugged her shoulders, and swiped a pink tongue around her jaws. "Ebonypaw said that you had lost more blood than she had thought you had; so she never bothered to wake you up." In other words, it was exactly as Rosethorn had expected.

She shook her head violently, as she realize what a dandy time she had chosen for this to happen. Greencough had been ravaging the camp when she had last been conscious! She had practically abandoned the Clan when it had needed her the most. Surely Ebonypaw couldn't… _Ebonypaw!_

"How's Ebonypaw?" Rosethorn asked, instantly worried about her night-colored apprentice, who was beginning to become one of her best friends.

"She's fine." Applefur reassured her, though Rosethorn knew Applefur well enough by now to know that the scarlet-colored queen was hiding something. What, she had no clue. "She healed a wound Beakpaw had gotten in his side excellently."

Why had Beakpaw gotten injured? And that was all fine and dandy that Beakpaw wasn't bleeding to death, but…what about Greencough? Rosethorn blurted out the question, and she was disturbed at how Applefur didn't answer.

"The weather's been beautiful. Certainly starting to feel like Newleaf. I took my kits out into the forest for a little bit yesterday – Blazekit caught a thrush – a thrush that was almost as big as him. Can you imagine, Rosethorn?"

The thought of the flame-colored kit carrying the thrush back to camp was rather humorous, but…why hadn't Applefur answered Rosethorn's question? "Applefur, tell me how the Clan is doing against Greencough." Rosethorn's voice was firmly.

Applefur snorted, and didn't answer right away. "I tried to hide it from her…" she muttered off-handedly to the mossy-nest Rosethorn had begun her sleep in. To Rosethorn, Applefur added, "I can't say it's gotten much better. Last night, Blackshadow sat vigil for Flowertail… he's _heartbroken_."

The queen looked down at her paws, and Rosethorn quickly realized that Blackshadow wasn't the only cat mourning the new addition to StarClan's ranks. Rosethorn felt a thorn of pain as well. Flowertail had mothered many kits – Beakpaw and Blackshadow were only two examples of her children… And she had been Shrewtail's beloved mate, and was a very lovable she-cat all in all. Rosethorn tried to cheer herself up, however, as she told herself silently that Flowertail was now in StarClan with her first mate, who was also Blackshadow's father.

As soon as shock and sorrow ebbed slightly, Rosethorn felt a slash of guilt. If she hadn't decided to sleep for a whole sun-rise, maybe she could've done something for Blackshadow's mother!

Applefur seemed to sense her friend's painful feeling of a lack of innocence, because she laid her tail on Rosethorn's side, and mewed softly, "There's nothing you could've done. Flowertail was a little old…StarClan took her in her sleep. She went peacefully."

"This is The Blood all over again!" Rosethorn burst out, voicing her fears before she had even noticed that she had thought of them. "Does StarClan have something against ThunderClan?" she let out a squeak of alarm as she realized a reason they could have. "Applefur, do you think that they're mad about Thorntail and me?" before her friend could answer, she shook her head violently, enraged at the thought. "If so, why punish the whole of the Clan? Why not kill one of us – Thorntail, or me?"

"Because Thorntail's the strongest warrior in the Clan, and you need to train Ebonypaw!" Applefur snapped. In a softer tone, she murmured, "I don't think they'd take Onepaw or Flowertail if they were out for revenge. They would've taken someone close to you, like Ebonypaw, or…"

"You're not helping, Applefur." Rosethorn growled, hanging her head. However, she could see the logic in Applefur's words. If StarClan wanted to punish Rosethorn and Thorntail, why not kill one of the two wrong-doers, or, as Applefur had said, one of their closest friends – maybe Blackshadow or Applefur… or one of their kits… like Blazekit, or Petalkit…or… Petalkit! She remembered how the poor kit had caught Greencough.

"Is Petalkit alright?"

Applefur chuckled lightly – which was always a good sign - and swiped her claws into the air. "Petalkit's a fighter! Takes after me. She's feeling a little… well, bad, I suppose, but Ebonypaw says that she'll be fine."

In the midst of all the bad news, Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief. Petalkit! The little scamp was still alive!

"Anyways, there's more news that Ebonypaw said she wanted to tell you herself…" Applefur wrinkled her nose, probably a little disappointed that she wasn't allowed to give all of the information to her injured friend, but her disappointment disappeared, and was replaced with worry. "But I heard what happened with you and Silverpaw from Thorntail. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine after my little nap there." Rosethorn purred, trying to not think about the silver tom right now. But she couldn't help but be curious. "What happened to Silverpaw, anyways?"

"What do you think?" Applefur's nostrils flared. "He tried to kill our medicine cat, Rosethorn. Streamstar chased him out of here before any of us could even_ say_ 'traitor'. Kind of took the fun out of it, but that's life." She looked at her paws. "Bad news though."

"Bad news?" Rosethorn echoed. What could be worse than Applefur's earlier report of Flowertail's death?

"Icepelt was leading a patrol to check the WindClan border. Not only have they been crossing over here numerous times to steal prey," Rosethorn recalled that neither she nor Thorntail had bothered to ever report the encounter with the speedy warriors to Sandpelt or Streamstar, "But it seems that Silverpaw joined their ranks."

Rosethorn let out a squeak of alarm. Wow, that cat switched Clans as often as Thorntail…

She shook the thought away. Why was she always comparing them to one another? She had said it right to the silver cat's face before she had taken a snooze – they were _nothing _alike!

"Why would they accept him?" Rosethorn meowed, but instantly felt mouse-brained for saying it. She knew perfectly well why!

"Well, first off, I don't think he had much of a choice. He's a tom, remember? Even if he doesn't look like one." Applefur chuckled at the thought. "He's going to be the only tom-cat in a Clan full of she-cats. For a traitor, I think he's going to have a good life…"

Rosethorn felt her limbs stiffen, as the news suddenly struck her. Okay, so in a way, Silverpaw was a blessing – his existence ensured WindClan's survival, for at least one more generation. But… if he felt like it, at any given time he could, well, cross the border, and…

Rosethorn didn't want to think about that now. "Well, I'm glad to hear that Petalkit's alright." She meowed going back to the subject from earlier. "Hey, in speaking of kits…I haven't heard any complaints about Hollowkit or Iriskit in awhile. How are they?" Rosethorn felt a flicker of hope that Applefur had started to find some affection in her heart for Spottedlight's small kittens.

To her dismay, Applefur snorted. "You mean Evilkit and Cruelkit?"

"Their names are Hollowkit and Iriskit." Rosethorn meowed, though she wondered for a moment if Applefur's chosen names would be more appropriate. "Have they done anything?"

Applefur hesitated for a moment, but finally let out a sigh. "No." she muttered. "But I don't see how they could possibly become anything but evil. Neither of their parents were exactly righteous…"

"But Robinwing's blood is in their veins. As is Hollowstar's." Rosethorn defended them, though she wasn't even sure why she bothered. Applefur was determined to hate these kits.

"I agree. Robinwing's blood_ is_ in their veins. But so is Howlingheart's." Applefur narrowed her eyes, as she mentioned Robinwing's mate. "Howlingheart was one of the cats who joined Spottedlight in her rebellion against Streamstar."

Rosethorn nodded blankly, and veered the subject over to Beakpaw, and his odd belief that his tail would one day betray the Clan. Applefur seemed happy enough to gossip about the young tan apprentice, but Rosethorn's mind kept wandering. ThunderClan was having some mangled troubles right now. Greencough, Iriskit and Hollowkit, WindClan hunting in ThunderClan territory, apparently a battle of some sort of Beakpaw had gotten injured… Rosethorn couldn't help but notice that she had almost taken a paw-step back from her Clan as she had gotten closer to Thorntail. If she had never been with him, Silverpaw probably wouldn't have given her a second glance – therefore, she would've been able to help Ebonypaw with Greencough, she would know much more about the mysterious kits of Spottedlight, she would know many more details about WindClan's thievery, and she'd know how and why Beakpaw had gotten injured. Maybe Applefur was right, and StarClan wasn't punishing ThunderClan. Maybe Rosethorn was punishing them all on her own.

…

Blackshadow blinked, confused that Thorntail had even brought up the subject, as the two toms began to pad back towards their camp after a small border patrol, but he accepted the conversation anyways. Why not? Besides, Thorntail had been so distracted ever since Streamstar had made Silverpaw leave the Clan. Maybe the gray tom would cheer up a bit.

"Flowertail once told me that just as we are born with claws and fangs we're born with a violent speak." Speaking of his mother, Blackshadow was suddenly reminded of how he would never get to hear her soothing, melodic voice as she teased him about giving her grandkits. She always fretted that she would never get to meet them – and had thought so even in her death. If only she had known that her son's kittens had been right under her muzzle the whole time! Blackshadow decided that he could feel guilty about his lie, and mourn her late, and he went on. "But even if that's true, I don't think that any sane cat would ever go to that point." Blackshadow looked at Thorntail, hoping that he had calmed the gray cat down some, but he noticed that the shoulder on his friend's shoulders were starting to bristle.

Blackshadow blinked. And tucked his paws underneath himself, as he continued, feeling both guilty for poking Thorntail like this, but curious to what was bothering him. "Just because Rosethorn wouldn't give him a second glance – such a little thing – and to have such a scary reaction…" Blackshadow wracked his brain. "I really can't understand." Blackshadow twisted himself around, and began to give himself a good wash.

Thorntail was silent for a moment, but finally he spoke. "Really?" he asked, his voice a raspy mew. Blackshadow looked up from his bath, and Thorntail continued. "Then if one day, Applefur was hurt…what would you do?"

"I don't see how that has anything to do with Silverpaw's motivation." Blackshadow pointed out, but Thorntail was determined to get this answer from him. So finally Blackshadow conceded and thought about his beloved mate lying broken somewhere. His stomach churned at the very thought! Also at the very idea of Applefur being injured by some trespassing enemy warrior, he felt a cold fury. He supposed that was the answer to Thorntail's plight. "Well, I'd get mad, I guess." He shrugged it off. "But no matter what, I'd never do something like Silverpaw tried to do to Rosethorn."

Thorntail looked up from his paws, and dug his sapphire gaze into Blackshadow's amber. "What if Applefur was killed?" Before Blackshadow could answer, Thorntail went on, raising his eyes to sky. "And there was absolutely no reason. This wasn't a battle, and she wasn't in the way of anything. They killed her. Just for fun."

Blackshadow squeaked like a kit, for a fleeting moment suddenly feeling that Thorntail's words were the truth – and Applefur had just been brutally murdered. Once he realized that it was just in his imagination, he choked out, "That's a little extreme, isn't it?

"What would you do?" Thorntail growled.

Blackshadow imagined Applefur's fear, anger, and confusion as whatever it was that had decided to attack her, stroke her down with a slash of a claw. He could see her body, covered in shadows - which Blackshadow had imagined for what seemed to just be dramatic effect – as her blue-eyes glazed over and stared at nothing. Never again would she hiss jealousy at him, or cuff him over the ear… or lick him affectionately…

Before Blackshadow could even think about what he was doing, he dug his claws into the earth. "I would kill whoever had murdered her!" he vowed, but even as he said the words a shiver crawled down his spine. Would he really be able to spill the blood of another of his species? For some reason, the thought repulsed him. He was fine with digging his fangs into a ShadowClan cat's scruff, and then sending them running off, squealing like a kit for their mother's as the retreated back to their own camp… But would he really be able to kill one? Sure, he knew how to…his mentor, Grasswhisper, had told him how to kill in emergencies…but Blackshadow had never really thought of what it would mean to use the skill!

"Well…no I wouldn't…" he meowed taking back his words. "But…but I would _want_ to kill them, definitely." He hung his head. "I'm not that great of a warrior, I suppose." He mewed. "The Warrior Code says it's wrong to kill…"

"No, no." Thorntail was quick to sooth him, which was odd, considering how sarcastic and cold the gray cat sometimes seemed. "That's perfectly normal, Blackshadow. Hate spawning a need for revenge… it happens." He shrugged it off, and leveled his stare with Blackshadow's. "But if every day…you_ keep _having these urges to kill, and the joy of it haunts you…pads like a shadow next to you...for the rest of your days…what does it mean?" his voice started to shake like a blade of grass being blown by the wind, "And what if…you don't have any hatred towards them…but you still want to dig their claws into their flesh?"

Blackshadow thought for a moment. He supposed that meant…well…there was something off…

"Why can I understand what you're saying, when you tell me that you wouldn't ever really be able to bring yourself to kill Applefur's murderer… But I understand what was going on in Silverpaw's head at the same time? Let me tell you, Blackshadow!" Blackshadow noticed that Thorntail unsheathed his claws, and was currently digging them into the earth, "When Silverpaw attacked Rosethorn, and knocked her around. He felt no rage against her. No hatred. Annoyance, maybe…but he didn't hate her! He was just…amused, and faintly interested in seeing her stumble like a newborn kit! Not even a newborn kit…" Thorntail shook his head. "He didn't see her as another cat – she was a different species to him. Not even a living one…a toy. Maybe a moss-ball… And she was worth nothing. When you cease to think of your fellow Clanmates, or even…well…species… as similar to you…The killing ceases to be killing. It just becomes… well, like a kit losing its toy. Game's over…"

…

"What?" Rosethorn could hardly believe her ears. Had Ebonypaw spoke right? Sometimes the young she-cat stumbled over words…

"I just told you." Ebonypaw fretted flicking her tail dismissively. "While you were unconscious, a loner-cat visited the Clan. It wanted to see Streamstar, and at first none of us would let him…but Sandpelt told Streamstar about it…And then she wanted to see it. She didn't seem overjoyed…but she did seem keen on speaking to that loner. I wanted to know if you have any idea who it is."

"What'd it look like?"

Ebonypaw sighed. "I didn't see it. I was busy nursing Beakpaw's injury when it all happened. But Morningpaw and Aquapaw were talking about it all day…and Sandpelt asked me about it… so I know it must've really happened." Her green eyes were worried. "You really have no clue?"

"None whatsoever." Rosethorn thought for a moment. A loner cat? Who could it possibly be? Streamstar hardly had any friends in the other Clans – let alone start making allegiances with the bothersome Clanless cats that occasionally stumbled into their territory. So…who could it possibly be?

"Anyways," Rosethorn changed the subject, deciding that she could ask Streamstar herself about it later, "Beakpaw got injured? What happened?"

"He wandered a bit too close to the ShadowClan border." Ebonypaw fretted, and Rosethorn's eyes widened. ShadowClan had been hostile to ThunderClan a few moons ago –and had permanently crippled poor Swiftfoot, but they had stopped their random attacks once Runningstar and his disease-spreading came onto the scene. What was their reason for attacking this time?

Rosethorn suddenly recalled Thorntail and Icepelt's little hobby of stealing prey. They had stopped – but it only took one stolen vole for ShadowClan to let out yowls of outrage. Not that Rosethorn could blame them. But poor Beakpaw! She sent silent thanks to StarClan that the tan-tabby apprentice hadn't been harmed anymore than by a large slash in his side.

She opened her mouth to comment on this new piece of information, but before she could, the black cats seemed to multiply. Now there two in the den. Ebonypaw and Blackshadow.

Ebonypaw greeted the night-colored tom with a soft mew, and Rosethorn gave her friend a curt nod.

Blackshadow returned their greetings, but instantly wet on with his reason for visiting them. "Rosethorn, are you well?" Before she could answer, Blackshadow swept on. "Thorntail's guarding the camp outside of the Gorse Tunnel entrance."

"You sound worried." Ebonypaw meowed. "Isn't that a normal duty to guard the camp at night?"

"Well, yeah." Blackshadow growled. "But he's been acting funny all day. Rosethorn, if you feel up to it, I think you should probably go talk to him."

Rosethorn quickly assessed that the best test to see if she could stagger out of camp, was to try and get up. She slowly rose to her paws, and though her paws ached slightly from all the time she had been off of them, she felt fine. "I think I'll manage." She mewed, suddenly worried about Thorntail. To Ebonypaw, she meowed, "I'll be right back."

"I'm going to go give some catnip to Streamstar." The black apprentice meowed, starting out of the den. She stopped in her tracks, and cast a mischievous emerald glance over her shoulder. "Have fun, Rosethorn."

…

Rosethorn more-or-less toddled up the ravine, and she slipped through the gorse tunnel. She grunted as one of the thorns jabbed her fur, but soon she was out of that situation, and glanced around, looking for her mate.

She noticed him pretty quickly. For a camp-guard, he looked a little out of it. His blue eyes were open, that they were, but they didn't seem to be staring at anything. They were blank, and vacant. Rosethorn wondered if Thorntail would notice a ShadowClan battle patrol if they padded right in front of his muzzle.

"Hi, Thorntail!" she purred, rubbing her muzzle onto his flank. Suddenly she remembered all the cats that had come to visit her during her stay in Spottedlight's old den. Blackshadow, Applefur, Streamstar, a few kits who were hiding from their mothers… No Thorntail. "How come you didn't come to see me earlier?" she asked. "I was starting to get worried."

"Oh." Thorntail mused, and was silent for a moment. Rosethorn lifted her head, and shifted so she could settle herself down right next to him. He blinked curiously at her, before he asked, "How many days were you in there?"

"The day Silverpaw came after me…then I slept one day…and then this day came…so three." Rosethorn meowed, and blinked. She had been unconscious for a whole third of that time. She should be the one confused, and disoriented about how many days had gone by. Thorntail had at least been conscious! Or…had he? He seemed to distracted.

"What's wrong?" Rosethorn murmured softly, leaning over to lick his ear gently.

Thorntail didn't answer right away. Rosethorn almost felt the darkness of night close in around them, as he waited. For a moment she wondered if he hadn't heard her, and almost repeated the question, but finally he meowed, "Silverpaw… was exiled…"

Rosethorn instantly pieced together what the squirrel was that had been shoved down his throat, and was irritating him. "Thorntail, listen to me!" she ordered. "You're not like him! You're you! You're not Silverpaw!"

"Really?" Thorntail asked her curiously, and Rosethorn saw him lower his head. "The only difference between us is the friends and acquaintances we've met through our little journey through life." Before Rosethorn could protest, Thorntail went on. "Honestly, I don't think there's anything different about us."

"No!" Rosethorn meowed instantly, and loyally. How could Thorntail think like that? Sure, she had noticed a few…similarities. But they were completely different! Silverpaw was emotionless, cold…uncaring. Thorntail was warm… and every cat around him felt protected by him. That's why he was so popular in ThunderClan, even though he had not been born within their ranks. That was why he was especially popular with the she-cats…from _every_ Clan it seemed!

"You say that because you didn't know me before!" Thorntail snapped. Rosethorn knew that she couldn't argue with that, and as she searched for some way to combat his observation, he went on, "There was a time…in RiverClan…I was probably seven moons old or so. A seven-moon old me, almost killed a Clanmate." Rosethorn almost pointed out that that was because he was so confused over Graywhisker's death, but then recalled that Graywhisker had died the day after his warrior's vigil. They hadn't received their warrior names when they were seven-moons old.

"He was an outrageously intolerable…_annoyance_." Thorntail muttered. "He was a big, mean, apprentice…His name was Fishpaw…" he twitched his ears, "He was mean to most of us – Graywhisker, Shadenight, Owlpelt and I… but…well, he mainly targeted Graywhisker and I since we were only half-RiverClan. But he soon stopped bothering me, because I would force the words down his throat every time… Graywhisker couldn't do that. So he began to ruthlessly pick on him. No matter how much his mentor would snap at him, or Duststar would punish him… or I would claw him, he always felt a sick need to torment my brother."

Rosethorn closed her eyes. She could only imagine. Thorntail very rarely got ridiculed about his…rather mucky heritage by any cat other then Shrewtail. Bad things tended to happen to cats that brought it up… They'd claim to Streamstar that they fell into a ditch or something – and that's where their scratches had come from, but every at knew that Thorntail proved his loyalty, by being disloyal. It was rather twisted… but it seemed to work just fine. She could only imagine Graywhisker. According to Thorntail, his brother's claws were never very sharp…that is, Graywhisker wasn't a very good fighter. He couldn't make Fishpaw eat his words, like Thorntail could. Graywhisker had to endure it… Though, Rosethorn was pretty sure that Thorntail came to the aid of his brother…but…well… There was only so much a cat could do.

Thorntail began to explain that, "One time, I was finishing up by apprentice-duties, and Graywhisker came to me and told me that I should stop fighting Fishpaw, because it only made Fishpaw torment him even more. I realized the truth in Graywhisker's words… But decided to do it in a different way then Graywhisker had wanted me to. One night, while Fishpaw was out hunting alone… well, I stalked him and waited for the perfect moment. And I found it when he missed pouncing on a vole, and tumbled onto his side. I sprung… he didn't have much of a chance. He didn't expect me, and he was in such an awkward position… I would've killed him." Thorntail meowed honestly, and Rosethorn felt her breath quicken for reasons she couldn't explain. "But…I hadn't known that the deputy, Furyheart, had been assessing him. She pulled me off of Fishpaw before I could do any real damage. She knew that I was only defending Graywhisker, so she didn't report it to Duststar – she told me that if I ever did something so mouse-brained again, however, it would be placed into the paws of our leader…"

"But…but what about Fishpaw?" Rosethorn mewed softly. "Why wouldn't he tell Duststar?"

Thorntail shrugged. "Remember when Applefur was bullying you?" he asked curiously, and Rosethorn nodded blankly. Though it had only been about two moons ago when Applefur had tried to push her into a river – which cats seemed to like to do to her – and blind her… But she recalled that the reason she never reported it to Streamstar was because, well, Applefur would have even more of a reason to hold a grudge against her.

"If Furyheart hadn't been assessing Fishpaw," Thorntail went on, his voice scarcely over a whisper, "And if she hadn't pulled me off of him… I'd be just like Silverpaw now. What differences were there, between Fishpaw and Goldclaw?"

"That's because you were young!" Rosethorn meowed, recalling that Thorntail had only been seven-moons old when this happened. "You didn't know what life meant yet! You didn't understand what it would mean."

"When you were seven moons old, did you ever want to kill a fellow-apprentice?" Rosethorn couldn't answer that.

"In Silverpaw's world," Thorntail went on, not meeting her eyes, "There is no you. There is no Graywhisker. No Applefur or Blackshadow… No Owlpelt or Shadenight…" Rosethorn was about to point out Twilightfur and Gingerkit, but then recalled how Twilightfur hadn't defended her brother when a cat had openly insulted him earlier. They didn't seem very close… "All Silverpaw had in the forest, was Goldclaw." Thorntail murmured, "And in the end, he decided to kill the only creature that gave a mouse-tail that he existed."

Rosethorn closed her eyes for a moment. Yes, it was tragic, admittedly… But Silverpaw had it coming! She explained her reasoning to her mate. "Thorntail, think about the reason why I love you. Why Graywhisker looked up to you. Why Applefur and Blackshadow consider you their friend. Why Shadenight_ loved_ you. And think about why Owlpelt cares about you so much, even though you are now in separate Clans." She licked his ear again. "It's because we all like you, Thorntail." It sounded odd, considering that she had just announced that she and Shadenight had loved him…but she wasn't about to correct herself. "You're so full of life! Vibrant!" Well, he wasn't right now… But usually, the gray tom seemed to be filled with more lives then all the Clan leaders put together! He was so energetic!

She thought of Silverpaw. "Silverpaw chose to enclose himself in the shadows! In isolation!" she meowed firmly, and Thorntail looked up at her, and Rosethorn purred at how surprised the gray tom was – and how it was convenient that the small moon began to pour a silver beam of light onto the tom who needed the light the most right now. "He chose his own fate!" she meowed referring to Thorntail's former apprentice. But as she spoke, Thorntail looked away again, and began shaking his head, disagreeing.

"Don't look at me like that!" he growled, his voice thick with sorrow. Rosethorn wanted to apologize, but she had no clue what she had been doing. The gray cat breathed deeply, before he told her, "I hate that look. Graywhisker, Smokestar, and all the cats who thought that they could somehow save me from myself gave me that same encouraging, but fearful look!" Rosethorn looked at her paws, slightly ashamed. She was his mate! She was supposed to be different from all of the other cats in Thorntail's life! Especially Smokestar, who supposedly hated the cat that should've been his son more then anything else in the forest!

"Everyone saw me as crazy…" Thorntail mumbled, "None of them saw me as…me. That look denies who I am."

"No!" Rosethorn yowled, unable to take the guilt anymore. "Thorntail, it's not like that."

Thorntail was silent for a moment, before he raised his head and stared at her again. Though, Rosethorn noticed that his eyes weren't looking into her eyes, but…it seemed to be her pointed ears. "Rosethorn," he pleaded, "Please don't look at me like that." Rosethorn looked down at her paws. "Don't deny me like they did." He shook his head. "Because if you do… I won't know what I'm doing anymore. I won't know who I am anymore."

"I know." Rosethorn meowed. She snaked her tail around his, and this startled the gray cat so much, that he finally brought himself to stare into his mate's eyes. She made sure that whatever look she had been given him was long gone, as she continued. "I know who you are. You're Thorntail, Warrior of ThunderClan. Mentor of the late Scornpaw. Best friend of Blackshadow. Rosethorn's beloved." She licked his cheek. "I know how you weep. How you purr. How you hunt. Even if all four of the Clans deny you…no…" s he corrected herself. "Even if all _five _Clans deny you, you'll still have me."

Thorntail's expression was shocked. "Rosethorn…" he murmured, and Rosethorn let out a purr.

"In my world. In my forest…" let out a soft chuckle. "You're not crazy." She recalled the scared little apprentice she was when she had first met the big, gray tom. "You're the one who gave me courage. You're the one who gave me happiness…" Her words still hung in the air, as she scooted closer to him, and gently lay her head on his back, where his neck met his spine. Thorntail cradled her there gently, his tail caressing her side…

She twisted herself, to lick Thorntail's side, but in the movement she accidentally knocked him over – and since she was leaning on him, the two cats tumbled to the earth. However, if Thorntail noticed that he had just hit the ground with a thud, he gave no indication, and went on with grooming his mate's ears…just on top of her this time, as they lay with one another.

She purred at first, and rasped her tongue against his shoulder, enjoying every single scrap of affection he decided to give to her. Then…

…

Thorntail wouldn't have been able to express the joy he had felt as Rosethorn knocked him to the earth. Had Applefur been speaking to her about Thorntail's wishes? Did it matter?

He groomed Rosethorn's gorgeous pointed ears, and he gently rubbed her side with his tail. How long had it been since he had gotten to do this? With Gingerleaf… but Gingerleaf was now dead so…

Wow, it had been awhile.

Instinct yowled into his ears, telling him exactly how to claim Rosethorn, as _his._ He was Rosethorn's mate. She was his mate. And finally, they wouldn't just call be _calling _themselves that. Even in StarClan's, cruel, judging eyes, they would be mates.

That tended to happen when you mated.

He felt Rosethorn tense beneath him.

"Oh, don't worry, Rosethorn." He soothed her, as he tensed as well. But not because he was worrying like her…

Emotions flooded into him, as he anticipated what would come. How he loved her! Rosethorn! The one who licked his wounds – both physically and mentally. The on who forgave him for Graywhisker when he couldn't even forgive himself… The one who soothed him. The one who protected him – the one who he protected. Like a thorn protects the rose, _Thorn_tail protected _Rose_thorn.

"No, Thorntail, stop it…"

The gray tom hardly even heard Rosethorn's soft plea, and he met a soft, rumbling purr to calm her down. "I won't hurt you." He promised, flicking his gaze to her soft blue eyes…which were closed.

"Calm down, Rosethorn." He mewed softly.

Thorntail was still trying to sooth down his mate, when one of her flailing paws flew into the air, and swiped at him. Thorntail let out a mewl of alarm, when he saw that Rosethorn's claws were unsheathed. He glanced at his chest, where she had slashed. He was bleeding.

While he was still shocked at Rosethorn's actions, she pushed him off of her, and stared blankly at him for a moment.

She leapt to her paws, and Thorntail noticed that her fur was bristling to make her look twice her size. She stared at him for a brief heartbeat, before she let out a ferocious yowl.

"No!"

* * *

**-hits Rosethorn on the head with a can of tuna- Stop pushing him away! -sigh- Anyways...erk... um...I...you know. I had to clean up the last bit a lot...since well... **

**A. I can't write smut very well. CURSES!**

**B. Er...why subject you to that?**

**C. Nothing REALLY happened. Thorntail wanted to mate - Rosethorn clawed him off of her. **

**Anyways, please keep in mind that even in the bloody (no, I don't mean this as a British cuss word, but the adjective. Get your head out of the gutter!) warriors series the main characters very rarely, if ever, kill. Firestar killed one cat. YAY SCOURGE! And Brambleclaw killed Hawkfrost. YAY HAWKFROST! -coughs- And there was absolutely no way around that. That's the problem here... these cats in my story have an odd sense of morality. **

**Review, and you get a Swiftfoot plushie! Why? You must collect the family set! GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL! (YAY! COPYWRITED CATCHPHRASES!)**

**Disclaimer: Tigerstar's Innocence claims no ownership to the silly Pokemon catchphrase used above.**

**Disclaimer2- Tigerstar's Innocence DOES claim ownership to the Warriors Series.**

**Disclaimer3- Tigerstar's Innocence has given up her claim on the Warriors series, or the Harper Collins lawyers bite her limbs off...**


	12. Chapter 11

**Before you read, please note that this chapter goes into a rather mature subject. No, I don't describe smut...but I mention some smut... and well... I just felt that I should remind you that this fiction is rated T. And this chapter contains the main reason. **

**xSkyheartx- You ain't gonna like this chapter. xD I guarentee it. **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- HA! I don't know why I went 'Ha' but...yeah.**

**Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please note that I had to step back on the description in the last few scenes, because...well...  
I'll let you figure that out.**

* * *

Thorntail let out a startled mewl at the harshness of Rosethorn's ferocious yowl. Once the surprise withered away, he suddenly felt a flash of anger. _Rosethorn_ was the one who had knocked them onto the earth. _Rosethorn_ was the one who had come to see him in the middle of the night. _Rosethorn_ was the one who had said that she would never deny him – and had more or less declared her love for him. The key word here was _Rosethorn._ And now, after heating him up, with instinct yowling in his ears to mate, she claws a stream of blood in his chest?

However, his anger faded, when he looked at the she-cat he wanted as his mate. Her lovely ice-blue eyes that had been staring at him through narrowed slits, beaming out pure love at him just heartbeats ago were now wide, and were sending out flashes of terror. Terror?

"Oh, fox-dung!" Thorntail swore under his breath. "I forgot that you're a medicine cat…you aren't used to this yet. I shouldn't have been so aggressive…" next time he'd give her a warning. Then they'd mate. He gently touched Rosethorn's side with his tail, but she brushed it away with a forepaw.

He flattened his ears against his head, insulted, when suddenly Rosethorn shook her head. "No…don't apologize, Thorntail…" she murmured softly, her voice shaking like a leaf in the breeze. "I'm the one…it's me…"

"Rosethorn?" Thorntail mewed softly. The ThunderClan medicine cat didn't answer at first. A small night wind blew across their pelts, but Thorntail hardly noticed it. He was too focused on Rosethorn, worry gripping him like an icy claw. The scarlet female seemed too frail and limp at the moment, that he almost expected the wind to toss her away.

But it didn't. Rosethorn slowly raised her head, and her sapphire gaze burned into Thorntail's. He let out a squeak of alarm, at how the terror hadn't left them. The icy depths were flecked with fear, anger, mistrust, and…hate. Hate?

"Thorntail…" she murmured softly, her voice quavering, "…I love you… I really love you… So please…Thorntail…don't hate me." She pleaded. "Please…don't hate me."

Thorntail struggled to find the words. Tell her that he would never be able to hate her – that he loved her. But for some reason, his tongue refused to form them together.

Rosethorn slowly got to her paws, her eyes still wide and haunted. "I…I should…go back into camp." She flicked her tail at the Gorse Tunnel. "Ebonypaw might…she might start to worry soon…"

The she-cat turned to disappear into her camp. Thorntail's whiskers twitched, as he noticed how shaky and weak she looked. Almost as if she would lose consciousness any second. He knew she was only entering her camp, and then curling up into her den, but… "Would you like me to escort you?"

Rosethorn stopped in her tracks, and turned to face him. She shook her head, and sighed, "No." Her voice was firm, but soft. An interesting conversation, but it hurt Thorntail as much as Rosethorn's claws would. Without another word, she disappeared into the thorny tunnel.

…

"Thorntail,"

The gray tom looked up from his wash, and gave a curt nod to Icepelt, who had just left the Gorse Tunnel, and was the cat that Sandpelt had ordered to take over Guard Duty when the sun rose.

It was up. "Hello, Icepelt." He dipped his head to the pretty white she-cat, and told her quickly that nothing out of the ordinary had happened all night. She listened thoughtfully, and then they traded places, and Thorntail entered the camp, his mind still wracking with what had happened earlier that night.

_I'm the one. It's me. _

What had Rosethorn meant by those words?

He padded towards the Warrior's Den to catch up on the sleep he had lost on the night before guarding, when a memory struck him. An argument he and Gingerleaf had. What had Gingerleaf said he had been trying to do to her? It had been a lie of course…but what had been the word that his late mate, Gingerleaf, had used?

He flicked his tail as the possibility pounced on him. He turned, and began scanning the camp for either Blackshadow or Applefur. Either of the two warriors would be able to tell him the facts he needed…

His whiskers twitched with amusement, as he noticed Dusktail's two young she-kits, Bramblekit and Cloverkit tumbling with the deputy's little ones, Robinkit and Tiberkit. Well, only Cloverkit, Bramblekit, and Tiberkit were the only ones willingly jumping around. Robinkit seemed to just want to toddle over to the nursery, and curl up in a nice warm nest.

Beside them, was the young elder Swiftfoot, who was eternally bored and therefore had taken to coming up with clever ways to play with the kits- and annoy the kits' mothers. The former ThunderClan deputy was ordering the reluctant Robinkit to pounce onto Bramblekit, but his daughter only snapped at him saying all she wanted to do was become a queen. No fighting required.

Thorntail couldn't find Applefur or Blackshadow anywhere, so he padded over towards his former mentor, Swiftfoot, dodging a few flying kits.

"Hello, Swiftfoot." He meowed giving the elder a curt nod. The tabby tom glanced up from coaxing Robinkit to attack, and greeted his former apprentice cheerfully – with a touch of annoyance. He clearly had been enjoying his little game with the kits.

"I'll be out of your way in a minute." Thorntail promised, trying not to flinch as Tiberkit, trying to pounce onto Bramblekit, flew head-first into the big gray tom's side. "Have you seen Blackshadow or Applefur?"

"Applefur was in the nursery with her kits last time I saw her. I tried to steal Blazekit, but she nearly clawed my ears off…" Swiftfoot muttered something almost inaudible that to Thorntail sounded like a curse word, before he went on, "And I think Blackshadow went into the apprentice's den to find Morningpaw. I know because Morningpaw wanted to hide with the kits, so her mentor wouldn't yell at her for filling some of the nests in the Warrior's den with mouse-bile."

"That was Morningpaw?" Thorntail burst out, unable to sustain a purr. "Shrewtail had the stench on him for a whole sun!" his whiskers twitched in amusement. "I admire her for that."

"You could take her as your mate, if you wanted." Swiftfoot meowed mischievously. "There isn't that much of an age difference."

For a moment, Thorntail actually weighed the possibility, but then shook the thought away. _Remember Rosethorn?_

"I have Rapplefur." Thorntail mewed loyally, almost calling his 'public' mate Rosethorn. He saved himself just in time, and he couldn't help but think of how the name 'Rapplefur' was actually rather interesting.

"So you had kits with her." Swiftfoot shrugged his shoulders. "That doesn't mean you're bound to her for life. Trust me; you don't want to do that! I said that I was Sandpelt's and Sandpelt's alone when we were apprentices…and now she won't even let me look at other she-cats. Life's been miserable."

"I heard that!"

Thorntail nearly leaped out of his fur, when he noticed Swiftfoot's mate, Robinkit's mother, and the ThunderClan deputy, Sandpelt lingering hardly a tail-length away. The pale ginger she-cat let out a furious hiss, and pounded towards her mate, hissing obscenities that the kits around them probably shouldn't have been subjected to.

Recalling his mission, Thorntail muttered a 'good-bye' to the ThunderClan elder, who was currently getting his fur clawed off,

He slipped into the ferns by the tree stump – the Apprentice's den – and glanced around. He almost instantly noticed the jet-black pelt of his friend, Blackshadow. The warrior was looming over a small tortoiseshell. Morningpaw.

"Morningpaw, you're not a kit anymore. You shouldn't be spilling mouse-bile all over the Warrior's Den! You're too old for accidents like that! And…what were you doing in the Warrior's Den anyway?"

Thorntail stayed by the entrance of the den, eager to hear Morningpaw's answer.

The tortoiseshell snorted. "Who says it was an accident? Shrewtail and Badgerclaw had said that they had seen rabbits that they were hunting fight better than me!"

"Probably because it was true!" Blackshadow growled. "You never pay attention in your training sessions…of course your not progressing like Aquapaw and Beakpaw."

"Maybe." Morningpaw conceded. "But maybe_ you're_ just a _bad_ mentor! It's not my fault! When Twilightfur is teaching me…she actually teaches me! Why can't she be my mentor?"

Thorntail almost flinched at Morningpaw's words, even though they weren't directed at him. Such little respect Morningpaw had for her mentor! Thorntail let out a purr of amusement, as he recalled that he would talk to Swiftfoot the exact same way – and it would usually result with one of the two toms losing clumps of fur.

Blackshadow however, didn't seem as amused at his apprentice's words as Thorntail. "Twilightfur teaches you in the ways of ShadowClan! It's useful, but you have to learn ThunderClan's ways! You're a ThunderClan cat!" though his voice was calm, Thorntail could sense the fury blazing off of the black tom's pelt.

"Fine. I'll learn them." Morningpaw shrugged her shoulders, and then flared, "But it won't be from you! I bet…I bet Thorntail could teach me far better than you!" Thorntail let out a squeak of alarm, as the tortoiseshell padded towards him.

Blackshadow's amber eyes blazed, as he glared at his best friend and his apprentice. Thorntail shook his head, and looked down at Morningpaw. "Blackshadow's your mentor." He pointed out, even though he couldn't help but be flattered by Morningpaw's words.

"Yeah, a _bad_ mentor!" Morningpaw snapped. To Blackshadow, she added, "Thorntail wasn't even have a drop of ThunderClan blood, and he could teach me far better than you."

"No I can't. Morningpaw, think about the apprentices I had. Scornpaw died, and Silverpaw was exiled." Thorntail was more or less trying to avoid Blackshadow's anger. He was almost positive that with the right training, this fiery little she-cat would be able to ward off any attacker.

"And I bet Scornpaw and Silverpaw could both fight." Morningpaw informed him. Thorntail shook his head. Scornpaw certainly could, but he never really knew about Silverpaw. Nor did he really care now that the feminine-looking tom was out of his life and Clan.

"And I bet Scornpaw and Silverpaw respected their mentor." Blackshadow meowed coolly, and Thorntail once again knew that was a lie. Silverpaw wasn't exactly…respectful…and Scornpaw and Thorntail had become best friends, before the tan tabby had died. "Morningpaw, for your lack of respect for the Warrior Code and your mentor, I think you need to be punished. Don't you agree, Thorntail?"

"All I wanted to do was talk!" Thorntail meowed. "Leave me out of this." Why were both Morningpaw and Blackshadow trying to steer him to their side?

"And all I wanted to do was actually become a warrior some day." Morningpaw muttered. "Neither of us are getting what we want, Thorntail."

Blackshadow didn't seem to hear her. "I want you to apologize to Shrewtail and Badgerclaw for putting mouse-bile in their nests, and you're not to leave the camp today – or take any fresh kill."

"But the day just began!" Morningpaw cried. "I'll starve!"

"No cat ever starved without fresh-kill for one day." Blackshadow retorted. Morningpaw opened her mouth to argue, but Thorntail silenced her with a flick of his tail. She glared up at her, and Thorntail jerked his head at Blackshadow, silently telling her that it would be wise to let the matter drop. For now. He had no doubt that the young tortoiseshell would go back to her war with her mentor another day.

"Yes, Blackshadow…" she muttered.

"Good." Blackshadow snapped. To Thorntail, he jerked his head out of the den, and side by side, the gray and black tom slipped from the den.

Once they were out in the sunlight, Blackshadow mewed, calming down slightly from his argument with his apprentice, "So…you said you wanted to talk. That's rare. What is it?"

For a moment, Thorntail actually forgot. Then he remembered Rosethorn's terror and the slash across his chest.

"Blackshadow…you were… in the nursery with Rosethorn, when you were kits, right?"

"I'm a few moons older, but yes, for a little while we were both in the nursery together." Blackshadow meowed, sounding slightly startled by the question.

"And then she became an apprentice and went into the medicine cat's den…" Thorntail meowed thoughtfully. "Um…Blackshadow…when Rosethorn and I first started to become friends…you told me she was tom-phobic…"

"Yes, I did." Blackshadow agreed, tucking his paws under himself as the two cats came to the fresh-kill pile. He gently used his tail to roll a small squirrel towards him. "But she's your mate now…so…"

"I'm not talking about now." Thorntail cut him off. "Was she always like that?"

Blackshadow twitched the tip of his tail thoughtfully. "Hmmm…how was he…" he was silent for a moment, clearly thinking. "Well, when we were in the Nursery together, she was always quiet, and never really wanted to play the kit-games. Kind of like Robinkit there." He flicked his tail towards where Swiftfoot was still coaching the kits on their little war-game. "But she had some friends, and she purred and spoke with them a lot…"

"And when she became an apprentice?"

Blackshadow hesitated for a moment. "Well…she was fine at first…but then… I don't know. Then it seemed that she'd never purr anymore, or speak to anyone. Toms especially. Since she was an apprentice, and we had been having trouble with ShadowClan at the time, whenever she went out to gather herbs Streamstar would order a guard for her. But Rosethorn would refuse to leave camp if the guard was a tom-cat."

"So…she wasn't always like that around toms…"

"Nope." Blackshadow's ears twitched. "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

Thorntail shook his head. He didn't know how to answer that. He just needed to find out…

…

"Rosethorn,"

Rosethorn glanced up from the poultice she was mixing, and rested her gaze on Ebonypaw. "Did you give the catmint to Streamstar?"

"Yeah…" Ebonypaw padded into the den, and settled herself down beside her mentor. "I…I was by the FourTrees, looking for some burdock root like you told me to…and I smelled Silverpaw."

Rosethorn gave her chest a few licks, as she tried to hide her anxiety. "Yes, he joined WindClan, remember? He's bound to be there."

"Yeah, but he tried to kill you." Ebonypaw shivered at what seemed to be the very thought of losing her mentor. "Do you think we should tell WindClan about that?"

"Silverpaw's a tom, and WindClan only has she-cats." Rosethorn pointed out gently, even though she understood Ebonypaw's reasoning. "They need him to ensure their Clan's survival for the new generation."

Ebonypaw let out a sigh. "Thorntail told me that Silverpaw was completely out of his mind, and sick…" she meowed softly, and Rosethorn stared blankly at the black she-cat for a moment. "Rosethorn…do you think Silverpaw will ever get better?"

Rosethorn stared helplessly at Ebonypaw. She could only hope and pray… but… "In his case…I don't think it's a matter of getting better. It's to learn quickly how to follow the Warrior Code and live an honest life."

"Oh." Ebonypaw looked thoughtful, but she didn't speak her mind.

"Ebonypaw…" Rosethorn murmured softly. "Can…can I ask you something?" Suddenly she felt like the apprentice, and Ebonypaw the mentor.

Ebonypaw didn't seem to catch what she meant right away. "Try me. I know all the herbs – I know I do."

"No…it's not a question like that." Rosethorn meowed, unable to hide a purr from escaping her throat. "It's about Thorntail…Ebonypaw…he thinks that he might be just like Silverpaw…" she remembered the conversation from previously. "What do you think?"

Ebonypaw snorted. "He's thinking to much." She growled. "He should stop worrying about the past, and forget about it."

Rosethorn let out a squeak of surprise. For such a young cat, that was a fairly wise answer – especially since Ebonypaw was clueless to Thorntail's history with his brother, Graywhisker, and the young RiverClan apprentice Fishpaw.

Ebonypaw's words made sense… But she knew that it was impossible. You couldn't forget the past. It was forever etched within. Thorntail would always be haunted by his shadow, his reflection, his brother… And Rosethorn…

"Hey, Rosethorn!" Applefur poked her muzzle into the den.

"Applefur!" Ebonypaw let out a squeak of delight, and the ginger queen gave her a lick between the ears, before turning her attention away from the apprentice and to the mentor.

"Rosethorn, Thorntail's out by the Owl Tree." Applefur's whiskers twitched with amusement. "He wanted me to tell you to meet him there."

"How sweet!" Ebonypaw cooed, and Rosethorn ignored her. Her heart lifted. Thorntail wasn't mad at her after all! He wanted to see her. She couldn't help but be happy. She had almost expected the incident from last night to make the gray cat despise her.

"I'm coming." She slipped out of her den, and she noticed that Applefur was padding next to her.

…

"Don't worry, Rosethorn, I just want to talk before you leave camp." Applefur touched her friend's shoulder with her tail cheerfully. "Look, Rosethorn, I know something's been bothering you. Would you just tell me what it is?"

Rosethorn glanced at her, as if surprised that Applefur had been able to suspect anything, and Applefur rolled her eyes. They were best friends, of course she'd notice that there was something nibbling on the medicine cat's tail.

Rosethorn didn't answer.

"Well, you're fine now, I see…but last night when you came back to camp…you seemed a little…frail. Are you alright?" Suddenly it hit Applefur what might've happened. "Oh, I see." She lowered her voice. "You and Thorntail became mates, yes?"

Rosethorn shook her head, and Applefur suddenly felt a jolt of resentment. She had given up Thorntail, so he could be with the cat he loved…and the cat he loved…wouldn't even mate with her? "For StarClan's sakes, Rosethorn, just do it! It's not like you're being forced into it by someone you don't like."

Rosethorn stiffened, and Applefur blinked. "What?"

Rosethorn shook her head. "Oh…nothing. Um, bye, Applefur. I'm going to go meet Thorntail."

"And mate with him!" Applefur snapped, as the scarlet-colored she-cat slipped out of the Gorse Tunnel.

…

Rosethorn let out a purr, as she noticed the gray cat sitting in the Owl Tree's shadow, his tail wrapped neatly around his paws. She chuckled, and trotted over to him, and spat out the squirrel she had miraculously caught on the way at his paws.

"I'm not hungry, you can have it if you want." She purred, giving him an affectionate lick on the ear. Thorntail grunted, and she turned her attention to the squirrel. "It's a little stingy, but I think it'll do…"

As she spoke, she felt Thorntail use his name-sake tail to gently massage her side. She purred with amusement. "Stop it, Thorntail." She chuckled.

Thorntail stretched his neck out, and gently licked her cheek.

"Thorntail, don't…" she growled, a little harsher.

He didn't seem to hear her, and moved his tail away from her side, and forcibly intertwined his tail with her own.

Alarm spread through every hair on Rosethorn's pelt. "Thorntail, don't do this." He didn't seem to hear her. "Thorntail, stop it! Stop it, Thorntail!"

She let out a yowl of fear, as Thorntail suddenly used all of his weight to force Rosethorn off of her paws and onto the earth. He let out a rumbling purr, and used his muzzle to roll her over onto her back.

"Thorntail! Stop it!" She cried. He was going to… StarClan, he was going to mate with her! "Stop it, Thorntail! I don't want to! Stop it!"

The big gray cat's blue eyes were emotionless, as he threw himself on her. Rosethorn let out a yowl of fear, and tried to roll away. "Thorntail, don't do this! I love you, Thorntail! I love you! Please, don't do this!"

"I love you, too, Rosethorn," he purred, as he began to furiously groom her ears, in an attempt to distract her long enough so she'd stop struggling against him. Rosethorn wasn't falling for it, and started to thrash about under him. But Thorntail was a strong, experienced warrior, who knew how to pin down enemy cats…and had experience with mating. Rosethorn had only had about two battle-training sessions in her life…and they were all about lunging at someone. Not about avoiding…well… this!

"You say you love me, right, Rosethorn?" he asked, his ice-blue eyes digging into hers, as he began maneuvering to try and begin the act that nature intended. "Time for you start acting like it!"

Terror surged through every hair on her pelt, as they struggled. One determined to mate, one determined to prevent mating at all costs.

"Stop struggling, Rosethorn! It's real quick!"

_Stop struggling, Rosepaw! _

Rosethorn suddenly felt a lapse in her consciousness, as she was suddenly transported away from the Owl Tree, and into the Medicine Cat's den…moons ago.

_Thorntail's pelt turned flame-colored, and the eyes burning into hers were no longer sapphire, but emerald. Cold, green eyes. _

_"That's a good she-cat, Rosepaw." Thorntail – no… it wasn't Thorntail anymore – mewed, licking her ear. "Stop struggling." _

_"What are you doing?" Rosethorn was surprised to find her voice much less sophisticated, and more high and squeaky. More like a kit's voice, then a full grown cat's. "Stop it! Stop it!" _

_"Shh…shh…That's good…just be quiet… shh…" _

Rosethorn suddenly fell back into the Owl Tree's shadow, and Thorntail was now the cat after her. She narrowed her eyes, and raised one of her back paws. She scraped it across Thorntail's underbelly. He yowled in pain, and during his lapse in attention, she pushed him off of her.

She leapt to her paws, and started to pound off.

…

Thorntail shook himself, as he noticed the little ginger at start to race off as if there was a pack of dogs on her heels.

"Wait! No, Rosethorn, come back!" he started to chase after her, and let out a purr. His legs were used to the long patrols of being a warrior, racing into battle… Rosethorn was used to slowly padding about the territory, collecting herbs. He had no trouble passing her up, and blocking her path.

Rosethorn stumbled to a halt as she noticed that Thorntail was in front of her, and let out a squeak of alarm, before she veered in another direction. Thorntail blocked her once more.

At this, Rosethorn seemed to notice a pattern, and she stumbled back a few pawsteps. In the process, their eyes met. Rosethorn's eyes were wide, and haunted, and every hair on her pelt stood on end. She looked around wildly for a way of escape, and seemed to realize that there was none.

Thorntail took a pawstep towards her, opening his mouth to explain himself, but he couldn't. Rosethorn threw back her head, and let out a ferocious cry of help. Thorntail stumbled back at it. He had never heard a shriek so loud, to terror-stricken…one that rose and fell like a howl of the insane!

Thorntail built of his courage, and slowly touched her side with his tail. She shrieked louder at that, and began to tremble. "No…Rosethorn…calm down…no…"

Rosethorn used her tail to push his away, her screech for help still echoing through the trees. She suddenly seemed to lose her footing, because she tumbled to her side.

"I know everything now, Rosethorn." He mewed softly, settling himself down beside her. "Rosethorn, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Rosethorn's screams of terror suddenly cut Thorntail's heart in two. He just wanted to yowl with her. All of his guilt, and his sorrow away. But most of all, he wanted to dig his claws into whatever cat had done this to Rosethorn! "I'm so sorry…" he repeated. He dug his muzzle into her side, "I won't do it again…Rosethorn…" he felt her shake her head violently, as she broke out into uncontrollable sobs. However, she seemed to trust his words, because she suddenly went limp on the ground, quivering as she remembered.

Thorntail suddenly wished that he had never tried to figure out the truth… All he seemed to have done was uncover some of Rosethorn's worst memories!

"Rosethorn…Rosethorn…Rosethorn…" he chanted her name softly, as Rosethorn voice started to die down. Thorntail was suddenly relieved that he had chosen the Owl Tree as their meeting place. He had asked all around camp, and made sure that no cat would come anywhere close… If they had been in earshot…

He gently intertwined his tail with Rosethorn's, and this time, he made sure it wasn't so forced. It was so light, and limp, Rosethorn's tail…

"Who did it?" he murmured softly.

Rosethorn didn't answer; she just twisted, and buried her muzzle into his side.

"Tell me. Who did it?" he tried to keep his voice calm, and anger-free. "Who forced you to mate with them?" He suddenly recalled Gingerleaf telling him that...that…he had almost…what was the word? Fraped? Taped? Gaped? Raped? Raped! He recalled Gingerleaf hissing ferociously at him that he was going to rape her – even though Thorntail had had no intention of even mating with Gingerleaf that particular night. He had been so confused at the word 'rape' and had asked her about it. Gingerleaf promptly explained, and then took the liberty to use his face to sharpen her claws.

"Who raped you?"

Rosethorn was silent.

"Does…does the Clan know?"

Rosethorn was still silent as stone. Thorntail closed his eyes.

"Why not?" Rosethorn didn't answer, and Thorntail thought for a moment. "Do you know who it was?" Silence. "Who-" he began, but Rosethorn cut him off with the answer, her voice scarcely over a whisper.

"Flamesoul."

* * *

**Who got it right? Daklotles85, Watersoul (BY CHEATING! xD ) and Dragon-Star155. Good for you! And yes, I foreshadowed this a LOT peoples. Almost once every chapter. YIKES! Anyways, er... I hope you all aren't too mad at me, but...well... It's important to the story. Sorry, everyone. **

**Anyways, if you review you get a Robinkit plushie.** **(I'm a little depressed after writing that chapter. That's why...yeah.)**


	13. Chapter 12

**OKAY! I admit it. I could've done a tad bit better with this chapter. Maybe a bit more description and emotion (especially in the first scene) But it's hard, considering this fic is a T rating, and I don't want to...yeah. Anyways, I snuck the little argument with the queens in the middle for comedy relief - and I hope it gives you a chuckle. Or at least it will make you slightly happy... I dunno. I just wanted to write something funny, so I did. **

**Frostfire or Iceheart - But insanity is fun! -pouts-**

**Strangefur- Ugh. -shivers- I don't like to think about this sort of thing ACTUALLY happening, but I know it does every day... -sniffle- **

**Frost-Fire15 - Yes, I threw many people off!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Every loose end is tied up in due time. YAY!**

**lmblovesmilk- Well, I don't think that particular 'I love you' counted, because he was, at least PRETENDING, to try and do a bad, naughty thing to her. **

**Steeltalon- By the middle of the last chapter, yeah, it was supposed to be blatantly obvious. Thanks for all of your reviews, btw!**

**skyheart- I know, I know... I don't know much about cats either, that's why that particular scene had a few human-mannerisms in it, but I know nothing about cats! And since I know lots about bunnies, they sort of er...tried to mate more like them. But...yeah, I agree with you. Sorry, but I wasn't going to go out, find some cats making love, and then describe it! xD I'm not that twisted... But I agree with you! Yup, yup, yup! **

**Daklotles85- I didn't use that word a single time in this chapter, I believe. But I did say 'penetrate' once or twice. Sorry. I agree with you about that word! When I was little, I didn't know what it even meant, but for some reason I always was frightened of that word! My sister was an evil teenager, so she used it a lot, and it always frightened me! YIKES!**

**Most of your questions are going to be answered. Enjoy.**

* * *

The golden orb in the sky started to sink beneath the earth, and as the dim light of twilight set in, Thorntail felt his mouth round into a gape, as the cat he so wanted for a mate told him the answer to his question, in a soft melodic voice that seemed to ring in his ears for moons. She stated the name of the horrid, disgusting tom that had brought shame upon the medicine cat in the highest regard, and Thorntail knew before she even uttered a word, that he would hate that cat with every hair on his pelt. "Flamesoul…" 

The big, fire-colored tom flashed in Thorntail's mind. He had met him at a Gathering once. If the gray cat's memory served him correctly- which, admittedly, it didn't always do – Flamesoul had been a respected medicine cat in all the Clans. He had been considered a selfless, loving tom, who would sacrifice his own life for the sake of his birth Clan, the Clan of storms and lighting. ThunderClan.

And Flamesoul had kept this lovely, spotless record even before the harshest glares of his fellow Clan-cats…until he had left his birth-Clan. And in doing so, had left his apprentice, Rosethorn, who had at the time been Rose_paw_, with hardly any medicine-cat training.

Thorntail had always held a small grudge against the flame-colored medicine cat for leaving Rosepaw like that. Of course, Flamesoul had left the Clan a few moons before Thorntail had decided to grace it with his presence and (however twisted) loyalty. Thorntail had always felt that if Flamesoul had stayed in the Clan, so many cats would still be walking with ThunderClan, instead of the mighty StarClan warriors above. But suddenly his heart twisted around, and he no longer felt any hatred towards Flamesoul for _leaving_. He hated the medicine cat for _staying so long_! Long enough to do such a terrible thing to Rosethorn!

But still, he couldn't make sense out of something. What had Rosethorn told Blackshadow once, when the ebony-colored tom had asked about her mentor? He tried to keep his voice soft and calming, so he wouldn't startle the pretty she-cat who was still lying on her side with her legs sprawled out under her. "Flamesoul?" he echoed. Rosethorn didn't look up from her paws, and Thorntail went on, his voice still soft and mellow. "Didn't…didn't he leave the Clan to be with some loner she-cat?"

The dark ginger cat shuddered, and made a noise that sounded like a squeak. But after her small mewl was no longer even an echo amongst the trees, silence surrounded the pair of cats, and seemed to cover them for seasons. Until Rosethorn built up her courage to answer, it seemed.

Her voice was scarcely over a whisper, as she rasped, "That's a lie." Thorntail looked away, the fur on his spine prickling. For a heartbeat, he was dumbfounded to as of why Rosethorn would spread such a thing around the camp. Then he knew. If the Clan had known about what Flamesoul had done to Rosethorn – even if Rosethorn had had no say in the matter – they probably wouldn't have accepted her as their medicine cat.

"But…but…Flamesoul was a medicine cat to." Thorntail didn't know why, but he was having some trouble grasping the fact that Rosethorn's mentor, had, in fact, forced himself upon her. He had had such a good relationship with his mentors! All three of them! Speedtail from RiverClan, Swiftfoot from ThunderClan, and Rubyheart from ShadowClan. They had all been so kind to him. So kind and caring…they had been fine mentors! What's more, Flamesoul was a medicine cat. He would put his position in just as jeopardy by forcing himself onto Rosethorn. "Surely he wouldn't…"

"That kind of tom is not a medicine cat." Rosethorn meowed shaking her head violently, her voice wavering like a leaf in the breeze. It was so soft, that Thorntail had to strain his ears to hear her.

"He approached me with what seemed like good intentions…" she explained, "and told me that I could be a good medicine cat… and my father, Crimsonspirit… we had both thought it would be a good…a good idea for me to walk that path…" Thorntail flinched. He had almost forgotten about Rosethorn's father, the late-mate of the leader of the Clan, Streamstar. Rosethorn had always spoken highly of her father, and Thorntail knew that they had had a strong bond – even though he himself had never had the pleasure of meeting the scarlet-colored tom.

Rosethorn was silent for a moment, and she seemed to have to literally fight with herself to continue. And her voice was a raspy, and rough, as if she was spitting each word out like a bad piece of prey. "But Flamesoul… He ended up betraying _ThunderClan_," her voice grew hard, "the _Warrior Code_…_everything_…and he did _that _to me…" Rosethorn broke out into a spasm of uncontrollable sobs, as, Thorntail guessed, she remembered the details of how her innocence was stolen.

He let her go for a moment, digging his claws into the earth, as he suddenly felt hatred for the flame-colored tom ignite in his heart. He imagined that the earth beneath him was Flamesoul's pelt. How he would enjoy licking the former medicine cat's blood off of his claws!

Rosethorn shuddered, and Thorntail looked up from his, (to his disappointment) non-bloody claws. "At the time…" Rosethorn continued, her breath becoming quick and shallow, "I was so small…much smaller then I am now…and I couldn't put up any resistance against him…" Thorntail stared at the ginger forehead of the one he loved, his heart swelling with pain for her. "I didn't really know exactly what he was doing, I was so young… All I knew was to be afraid..." she broke off abruptly, and Thorntail could visibly see a shiver crawl down her spine, and her muscles tense. "I begged him to stop…but he didn't… He did it to me…so many times..."

"More then once?" Thorntail gasped.

Rosethorn let out a ferocious hiss. "Many times…again…and again…and again…" she shuddered.

Thorntail leaned over towards her, to give her a comforting lick, but Rosethorn flinched away from him.

"It's a miracle there weren't kits…" Rosethorn continued, her body shaking as much as her voice. "But…probably only because I wasn't even old enough…to…to…have them…"

"You were _that_ young?" Thorntail choked out, unable to hide his surprise. Flamesoul had forced himself upon a cat that was hardly out the nursery – too young to even have kits of her own yet? And his apprentice? His _medicine cat_ apprentice?

Rosethorn didn't seem to hear his question, and she raised her gaze. She didn't seem to be looking at Thorntail, but at something just behind his shoulder. The round blue sapphires were wide and haunted, and Thorntail wasn't even sure if the poor cat was even aware of his presence. Her voice cracked with emotion as she went on, "And…to make things worse…" _Worse? Oh, StarClan, no._ "During the day…StarClan would send me visions…"

"Visions?" Thorntail echoed. What kind of visions? He wanted to ask her, but he didn't have to. She continued quickly, muttering as if she was not talking to Thorntail – but to herself.

"Visions of exactly what he would do." Thorntail let out a gasp. "Every _single one of his sick little fantasies of what he would do to his defenseless little apprentice!_" she was silent for a moment. "So I'd worry, and worry all day, and feel so terrified…I'd never know when, or where it would happen. But I knew it would…I knew it would…And it _did_…"

Thorntail glanced up at the stars of Silverpelt that were daring to show their faces now! How could StarClan be so heartless? He couldn't even imagine the terror and betrayal Rosethorn must've felt…but to know exactly what would happen to you…

Rosethorn curled her lip in disgust. "StarClan would send me visions of what would happen to me…but they would never _help_ me. They didn't do anything to _him_… StarClan just made it…it…worse for me…" she shook her head violently, and glared up at her warrior ancestors, as if delivering them a challenge.

Thorntail looked at his paws weighing everything in his head. Rosethorn had told him that she had wanted to be a medicine cat apprentice because her father had really respected them… When her father had died, Rosethorn must've felt it to be even more important to carry on her father's wishes, to make him happy. But...to go through that?

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

"Why didn't you tell Streamstar?"

Rosethorn didn't answer right away. "I…I…I didn't know how…" Rosethorn rasped, looking back down at her paws. "So I stopped speaking to anyone, and I was sad all the time…" she curled her tail around her paws, and let out a sigh of relief. For a moment Thorntail didn't know why, but she explained. "But finally, Streamstar found out. She never told the Clan about what he did to me…because…she didn't think that they'd accept me as their medicine cat…so she chased him off herself." Her voice was almost a purr, but it was so thick with sorrow that it was almost impossible to tell.

Thorntail closed his eyes, and nodded a few times. Even though Streamstar sometimes had flashes when it seemed like she was a terrible leader, she could protect her daughter. That was something… But… he couldn't fight that surging anger that was flourishing within him. Rosethorn…his beloved little flower had had something so terrible happen to her. And even though Thorntail could protect her from Spottedlight, Runningstar, and giant beetles that snuck into her nest at night… He couldn't make what Flamesoul had done to her go away. There was absolutely nothing he could do.

"But even after Flamesoul was gone…" Rosethorn went on, her ice-blue eyes now staring blankly at the Owl Tree that loomed before them, "I'd have nightmares. Every night. And I still do…" she wrapped her tail tightly around her paws. "He comes after me… In my dreams. And no matter how far I run… Or where I hide… he still finds me…and then…" she trailed off, leaving Thorntail to fill in the blank.

Even after Flamesoul was out of Rosethorn's waking life, he still haunted her at night! Had StarClan absolutely no mercy? Why were they punishing Rosethorn so? Didn't they understand that it wasn't her fault? Why were they punishing her, when it was Flamesoul who was in the wrong?

Rosethorn's voice suddenly hardened into a cold snarl. "So I kill him." She shook her head. "I kill him…in the most…awful ways. I think to myself 'What's the most horrible, painful, humiliating way to die?' And then…that's what happens. I mutilate him, Thorntail!" she cried, her ice-blue eyes digging into his. "I mutilate him until he doesn't even look like a cat anymore! He doesn't look like anything! He just becomes a mound o bleeding flesh!" Thorntail flinched. "And then…after everything happened with Flamesoul…"

Thorntail wanted to let out a yowl of grief then. There was _more?_ Flamesoul had penetrated her, haunted her…and had taken away all of her pride as a medicine cat, and there was _more? _Great StarClan, did his warrior ancestors have _any_ mercy? Didn't cats always say that StarClan cared for every cat in the forest, from the kit chasing the moth outside the nursery, to the elder snapping at the kit for being too loud? If that was true, why would they let the memory of her horrid apprenticeship haunt Rosethorn for the rest of her life? Why would they not punish Flamesoul? All he lost was a Clan, but Rosethorn had lost so much more! Her dreams, her pride, her joy… _Everything. _

Rosethorn's voice was back to that odd, soft, melodic tone, which could hardly be heard. "…I started killing everyone I hated in my head. Like Runningstar..." Rosethorn shuddered, and Thorntail recalled how Rosethorn hadn't even let out a hiss of displeasure, as the former WindClan leader prepared to do the exact same thing Flamesoul had done. "I didn't say anything…" she admitted, "but I was thinking…_terrible…terrible things_!" She paused for a moment, and then shook her head violently, and then met Thorntail's gaze. "And Applefur…and Shadenight too…" suddenly, she looked away, as if ashamed. "I'm just like Silverpaw too." She cried out. "I know he thinks the same way I do…about…_killing_… but I just…can't unsheathe my claws and act out my thoughts like he can." She mewled softly, "I'm exactly like him!"

Thorntail shook his head. That wasn't true. Silverpaw and Thorntail both stared at cats as if they were nothing…but Rosethorn… She seemed to hold life very highly.

His mind suddenly blared with dozens of questions. Mainly about Flamesoul. But the only one that was able to form into words was, "Why?" his word hung in the air for what seemed like moons, before he emphasized, "Flamesoul was your mentor…why would he do that to…" Rosethorn cut him off.

"He loved me." She rasped. "He…he…he told me he loved me."

"StarClan!" Thorntail gasped, digging his claws into the earth.

"To say that to such a young cat…" Rosethorn shook her head violently, and her voice became a loud wail. "That's not love! That's not love at all! That's fox-dung! Nothing but fox-dung!"

Thorntail rumbled an agreement, and Rosethorn rose to her haunches, and raised her gaze to Silverpelt once more.

"StarClan doesn't speak to _me_ because of what_ he_ did! They know I'm impure, they know I have been _used_! I'm nothing! I'm not a warrior, and yet I'm not a true medicine cat either…" Rosethorn let out a ferocious yowl, at the sky, and lashed her tail. She was still shivering, as she let out a furious growl that forced Thorntail to flinch.

She leveled her gaze with his, her blue eyes brimming with disgust. "I hate Flamesoul." Rosethorn snarled, curling her upper lip to show her fangs. "I hate him. I hate him, Thorntail! I despise him! I want to see him dead! I want to feel his blood on my claws! Because of him, I can never be a true medicine cat! StarClan doesn't speak to a _dirty, impure medicine cat that is anything but innocent_! I hate him! I want to tear out his entrails, and spread them from here, all the way to HighStones!" Thorntail couldn't help but squeak like a small kit in surprise. Never before had Rosethorn ever spoken like that. Rosethorn was the most peaceful, and kind cat he knew! If she hadn't stopped him before, he would've killed Spottedlight – who had caused her so much grief! And she had still shown him affection even after everything he had done to his brother, Graywhisker. She had forgiven Applefur who had tried to kill her, and she had begged for Thorntail to spare Silverpaw who had _also_ tried to murder! She was the most forgiving, loving, caring, self-sacrificing cat he knew. Hearing Rosethorn announce for what seemed like the first time that she _hated_ another cat, and wanted to see them dead… it sent shivers down his spine. He knew that Rosethorn had every right to feel that way… But it still sent a small spark of fear to flicker within him.

Rosethorn's eyes burned into his, now, and flashed blue fire as she growled, "And not just Flamesoul!" Thorntail shuddered at her tone. Before he could ask who else she hated, she yowled "But also _ThunderClan_, for spawning that piece of _fox-dung_! _StarClan,_ for letting him do this to me!" she paused, and Thorntail almost stumbled back in surprise. Rosethorn…hated her own birth-Clan? The Clan that her mother led? The Clan that her best friend, Applefur lived in? And StarClan? He could understand her reasoning, and he wanted to yowl in sympathy with her.

"But most of all…" she murmured, her voice trembling once more, as she stared at him square in the eye, "Most of all," she repeated, "I hate_ all_ toms!" Thorntail didn't even have time to feel a flash of surprise, because she instantly let out a yowl, "_I hate them_! I can't stand them! _I hate them to death_!"

…

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here, beneath the HighRock for a Clan meeting!"

Streamstar's yowl was loud, and clear, and Applefur looked up from giving Baykit her bath before she went to sleep for the night. Why was Streamstar calling a meeting so late? Well, the white leader often seemed to enjoy doing things the dark of night, but that wasn't the point. The real reason the dark ginger queen was annoyed, was because of one name and one name only: Swiftfoot. As soon as the three queens of the Clan, Dusktail, Sandpelt, and Applefur all slipped away from their kits, and gathered around the HighRock, the bored elder would slip in, and take as many kits as would follow him – or he could carry, and take them to some obscure place in the camp, and either play some silly kit game with them…or just hide them, and leave it to the queens to search all around camp for their little ones.

Applefur glanced worriedly at Dusktail. The black-and-gold she-cat wrapped her tail protectively around her gray kitten, Cloverkit. She seemed to realize that Bramblekit, Cloverkit's sister was out of reach from her tail, so she used one of her forepaws to pull the kitten closer to her. "Applefur, what do you suppose we do?"

"One of us has to stay here, and watch the kits." The Clan deputy, Sandpelt meowed firmly, as she gently placed her daughter, Robinkit in the moss-nest, right next to her brother, Tiberkit.

"But Streamstar probably has something important to say. She says 'May _all_ cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around the HighRock for a Clan meeting', not 'Any cat that feels like it gather around the HighRock for a Clan meeting." Dusktail pointed out, her amber eyes flashing out of the nest at the brambles of the nursery, possibly to see if the meeting had begun yet.

Applefur was about to point out that if that was the case, Swiftfoot probably wouldn't bother to steal their kits, and would be too busy with the ceremony, when she noticed the tabby fur of the former-Clan deputy slip out of the Elder's den, and slowly begin to limp towards the nursery.

"Sandpelt, he's your mate." Applefur pointed out, turning to the tawny-colored queen. "Why don't you talk to him and tell him to stop stealing our kits? Isn't there something in the Warrior Code against that anyways?"

Sandpelt shook her head, her eyes defeated. "I've talked to him numerous times. He always says that he's a Clan elder now, and will do what he wants. I've even used by authority as Clan deputy to order him to stop. But he never listens… And when I told Streamstar about it, she just burst out into an uncontrollable purr of amusement, as if it was funny!" Sandpelt snorted in disgust.

"And the Warrior Code?" Applefur pressed.

"I think that only counts if you're stealing kits from another Clan…" Sandpelt looked thoughtful. "I don't think our mighty ancestors ever thought that Clan_ elders_ would be the biggest threat to kits in the Clan."

Applefur sighed. She could see the logic in that. And she had clawed Swiftfoot so many times now it wasn't even fun anymore! He always stole their kits! And she suspected that he would still be doing it, when the kits in the nursery now had kits of their own! Oh, yes, her little Baykit may think that it's fun to be naughty and run off with a Clan elder to play kit games, or just hide from her mother, but she'd think differently when she had_ six_ kits to look after, and some bored cat was always taking them away to only he-would-know-where!

Her thoughts were interrupted, by a small squeak from outside the nursery. She flicked her gaze to the kitten, Gingerkit, who was peaking into the den Her emerald gaze bounced about, until the kit noticed the queen who was looking after her, Dusktail, and toddled over to her.

"Dusktail, it's my apprentice-ceremony. Aren't you coming?"

Dusktail gave a startled squeak, and gave the scarlet kit a quick lick between the ears. "Of course I am." She flashed a glance at Sandpelt and Applefur. "Do you mind?"

For a moment, Applefur felt a prickle of resentment. If anything, none of the queens should go, because it wouldn't be fair for _two_ of them to go see the ceremony, and _one_ of them to have to stay in a quiet den with so many sleeping kits!

But before she could snap at Dusktail, Sandpelt gave her a curt nod. "Streamstar said that you should watch over Gingerkit, so it's only right that you be there."

Dusktail dipped her head, and then scurried out of the den, almost like a kit herself. However, Gingerkit hesitated for a moment, and Applefur just caught her gaze. It was leaf-green, just like her brother, Silverpaw's. She let out a threatening hiss, and Gingerkit bolted off. Any kin of Silverpaw, the cat who had tried to kill Rosethorn, was an enemy to Applefur.

She turned her attention to Sandpelt. "So which one of us goes?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Sandpelt flicked her tail dismissively. "I'm Clan deputy. It's only right that I be there."

"Oh, don't worry." Applefur meowed, with mock-innocence. "When you become Clan leader you won't _ever _miss a ceremony. However, I might miss many more after this. I think that I should be allowed to go. You can stay and watch your kits. Protect them from _your_ mate."

"If you are going to miss so many ceremonies, would you notice one more?" Sandpelt asked, "Applefur, six of these kits are yours. That's over half of them. Don't you think that it's only right that I, as Clan deputy go and see the ceremony, while you stay and watch over your young ones?"

"_Four _of the kits are mine." Applefur corrected, flicking her tail towards Baykit, Nightkit, Blazekit, and Petalkit, who were safely curled up into a sleep. She jerked her tail towards the other two kits – which were separated from the other four by a cleverly placed thicket of brambles that Applefur had found in the forest. "Hollowkit and Iriskit are half-Clan pieces of crow-food spawned from the two most rotten cats in the forest."

Mischief glowed within Sandpelt's own leaf-green eyes. "I think you should bond with Hollowkit and Iriskit. You can have some private time with them. I'm going, Applefur, and that's that." She got to her paws.

Applefur was about to hiss a ferocious retort, when a chanting rang in her ears.

_"Gingerpaw! Gingerpaw! Gingerpaw! Gingerpaw!" _

Instantly, the two queens looked down at their paws, and under their pelts they turned red with embarrassment. They had argued for so long, that the ceremony was already over and done with!

Applefur looked up from her paws, to see the amber eyes of Swiftfoot, as the tabby tom slowly paced around the brambles that protected the nursery, staring blankly at the two queens.

"Swiftfoot, go away! How many times do I have to tell you?" Sandpelt hissed threateningly, and with that, the elder limped away as fast as he could.

Applefur rolled her eyes, and turned her attention to Sandpelt. She opened her mouth to apologize to her for their silly argument, but before she could, she heard pawsteps outside of the nursery, and some fur scrape against the protective brambles.

"For the last time, Swiftfoot, _go away_!" Applefur turned around sharply, to prepare to chase the tabby away, but instead she stared into the ice-blue eyes of Rosethorn.

"Oh, hello, Rosethorn." Sandpelt meowed cheerfully giving the medicine cat a curt nod. "Did you need to check on the kits? Besides a certain elder who keeps stealing them, they're all fine."

Rosethorn didn't seem to hear Sandpelt's soft words, and Applefur hardly listened to them. Something about her friend didn't seem right. She seemed…so weak and light, _again. _So light, that ifa cat were to sneeze, the air would knock the medicine cat away. Worried for her, Applefur mewed, "Actually, Rosethorn, there was something I had to ask you about Petalkit…let's talk over here…" using her lie to distract Sandpelt for the moment, she slipped out of the nursery, with Rosethorn padding just behind her.

Applefur glanced around the camp, and looked for a private place. Around the HighRock, cats were still mingling about, congratulating Gingerpaw, and her new mentor, who seemed to be Shrewtail. Applefur let out a soft growl, when she noticed Twilightfur standing next to her sister, her eyes filled with pride. Twilightfur, more kin of Silverpaw _infecting_ the Clan – but this one was from the same litter! She was about to curse – especially when she saw Badgerclaw, her own brother, pad up to the blue-gray she-cat and hiss something into the traitor's sister's ear. And from Twilightfur's soft chuckle of amusement, it probably _wasn't_ an insult.

Then Applefur suddenly remembered Rosethorn, and went on with her search for a quiet place. She noticed it. The apprentices, Beakpaw, Aquapaw, and Morningpaw were all padding around Gingerpaw, welcoming their new denmate. But their den was empty.

"O'er here." Applefur meowed to her friend, and together they padded over to the tree stump where the apprentices made their nest. Applefur turned towards Rosethorn, who still had that blank expression on her face.

"Rosethorn, what's wrong?" Applefur asked curiously, staring worryingly into her friend's pale blue eyes.

Rosethorn hesitated for a moment, before she sighed, "It might be over…with me and Thorntail."

Applefur stiffened, and thought of the rainbow of feelings she herself had for the gray tom. She felt guilty for it, but for a flash she felt a feeling of joy. If she wanted to, Thorntail could be hers! Then she remembered Blackshadow, her beloved mate, and the Father of her kits…

Thorntail couldn't compare.

But either way, Applefur couldn't help but feel shocked. Rosethorn and Thorntail had been perfect for one another! That was the main reason why Applefur had stopped bullying Rosethorn about Thorntail, and had begun to defend the two cats' relationship with tooth and claw.

"No…it's me who was wrong…" Rosethorn continued softly. "I'm the one… He's…he's the perfect cat…He's perfect for me…I'm not right for him…Thorntail didn't do anything wrong…" Rosethorn shook her head, and sniffled. "Thorntail isn't…he isn't like Flamesoul!"

…

Thorntail felt the light of the stars above him dance along his pelt, but he ignored it, and for an instant felt a prickle of resentment against them. His Warrior ancestors…how could they have done that to Rosethorn? Had they punished Flamesoul for what he had done?

Unless Flamesoul was, at that very moment, being slowly eaten alive by a pack of angry squirrels while Twoleg slop was being shoved down his throat – he hadn't been punished enough! StarClan punished Rosethorn, by cutting off their connection with her, but Flamesoul…

Thorntail felt his anger fade, and his emotions break down into sorrow for Rosethorn. Suddenly all the times she had pushed him away, all the time she had said 'No'…made sense.

Her cry of agony blared in his mind…

He recalled his promise to protect her…

He had! Or so he had though… He had protected her from Spottedlight, Silverpaw, and Applefur… but now, there was nothing he could do. Rosethorn's wounds wouldn't go away. As much as he wanted to somehow… take Rosethorn's memories away, and protect her from the darkness that walked in her dreams…he couldn't.

There was nothing he could do.

Thorntail stopped holding it in, and let out a wail of sorrow.

* * *

**Corny ending, I know. Oh, and by the way, if you didn't read between the lines (who does that in a fanfic? xD ) The reason Rosethorn thinks that it is 'over' between them, is because well...she said something pretty nasty to him... And I think she's ashamed... well, yeah. If you update, you get a Sandpelt plushie! YAY SANDPELT! **


	14. Chapter 13

Greenpool's Loyalty & Pearl.H.Sweden- OH NO! I HAVE TWO BIGGEST FANS! You two must fight to the death, to decide who is the biggest! YAY! Wait...I guess for one of you that's bad...

Eh, just kidding! Thank you both!

**Pearl.H.Sweden(alone)- Applefur mentioned that Gingerpaw's mentor is Shrewtail. And yes, I understand why you're angry at Rosethorn...but can you blame her? Look at what she went through:)**

**Daklotles85 - I miss your long reviews... -sniffle-**

**Watersoul Head of the Star Walkers - Anything else? Rosethorn said that she hated Thorntail, his Clan, and StarClan. I think that covers it! xD Oh, and yes, we do find out who Thorntail's ol' man is. But he's not as important to the story as Smokestar, who becomes a key character... one day. -huggles Smokestar- Poor Smokestar and his disloyal mate...**

**Rabbitstory- UGH! YOU POINTED OUT AN EVIL TYPE! -throws tomato- I don't know why she did that.**

**Steeltalon- You are a cold person.**

**Thanks to all for reviews! Oh, and I'm thinking of changing my name to Roxie...something or another. Just givin' 'yall a heads up, for when I change my name...and...yeah.**

* * *

Rosethorn fluttered open her eyes, instant relief flooding through her body as she left the nightmarish world of her dreams, and entered the waking day, in which Flamesoul was long gone, and she had a mighty gray warrior defending her from…from…

Then she remembered. Her shameful tale that she had actually been _mouse-brained _enough to tell him. How could Thorntail ever look at her the same again, after she told him not only that she _despised _him, but also the Clan in which his loyalties lay and the warriors of Silverpelt who he had placed faith within? And she was…so…_dirty_…

She must've been shaking, or sobbing, or something of the nature, because her companion blinked open her ice-blue eyes, and stared up at her. Rosethorn suddenly remembered her request to Applefur the night before, for the young queen to sleep in the medicine cat's den that night. Ebonypaw was comforting, and was really nice, but she had needed her very best friend to comfort her.

"You alright?" Applefur yawned, as she began to stretch herself for the morning.

Rosethorn looked at her paws, and didn't answer for a moment. "I…I guess so." She mumbled, giving her chest a few self-conscious licks. "I'm sorry for taking you away from your kits…"

"Don't worry. Dusktail was happy to watch them." Applefur assured her, giving her friend a comforting lick on the ear.

"Oh…alright…" Rosethorn mumbled, getting to her paws. She padded towards Ebonypaw, who was still curled up in her nest, and gave her side a soft prod with her tail. "Ebonypaw, wake up."

Instantly, the night-colored she-cat's emerald eyes blurted open. Under normal circumstances, Rosethorn would've purred when the cat started to shake with joy. "Tonight's the half-moon, isn't it?" Ebonypaw squeaked.

"Yes." Rosethorn meowed simply. "Ebonypaw, go check on Streamstar." The ThunderClan leader was now the only cat in the Clan who still had Greencough.

"Why is she excited about the Half-moon, anyway?" Applefur asked Rosethorn as Ebonypaw scurried from the den. "She's already met the other medicine cats at Moonstone, and spoke to StarClan twice…"

"Speaking to StarClan is an amazing thing, I'm sure." Rosethorn muttered. "I'm going to go get myself some fresh-kill…would you like something, Applefur?"

Applefur looked worried about her, and for a moment didn't seem to hear the question. Finally, she meowed, "Um…no…I'm going to go out and check on Dusktail and my kits…" she looked around. "Hey, doesn't Thorntail usually come in and greet you in the mornings?" Rosethorn stiffened, and Applefur suddenly seemed to realize what she said. "Oh…never mind. I'm going to…go now…" the dark ginger queen slipped out of the den, her pawsteps quick and brisk.

Rosethorn followed her out of the den, and started towards the fresh-kill pile, but instantly stumbled to a halt as she realized who had amassed around it. Thorntail had his head lowered, and was sniffing suspiciously at a robin, as if he felt that there could be something wrong with it. This annoyed his three companions, Blackshadow, Badgerclaw, and Twilightfur…though Blackshadow was the only one of the three to give Thorntail a cuff around the ear and snap at him. Rosethorn couldn't' hear all of his words, but she could pick up, "Robin…poisonous." There was probably an 'isn't' or something similar, because finally Thorntail began to chew on his bird.

Rosethorn's whiskers twitched, as she recalled Thorntail and Blackshadow having more or less the same argument the day before. And the day before that…and before that…

Rosethorn glanced at her paws. No matter what happened yesterday, today was always the same. No matter what nightmarish, cruel thing happened yesterday, today always came. And even when cats were murdered, blood was being spilt, and apprentices were being abused by their mentors – physically, as in Silverpaw's case, and then in all the other ways…like Flamesoul had to her – but still, no cat gave a double-take. Yesterday really didn't impact today at all. Today always came, and it never really seemed to care what the 'today' it succeeded had brought…

…

"I heard Shadedhope finally got herself an apprentice," Ebonypaw announced, as she and her mentor trudged out of the hollow that was FourTrees and started to tread on the moors that was WindClan territory.

Rosethorn hardly heard the black she-cat, as they padded past the clump of ice-blue flowers. The only flowers in the whole of WindClan territory. A sob welled up in her throat and choked her, as she recalled how Thorntail had rescued her from Runningstar, hardly even two moons ago. Her whiskers twitched, as she realized that Thorntail would never rescue her again…

Her sapphire eyes rested upon her fellow medicine cats, who were gathering outside the entrance of Moonstone, their eyes glittering when the noticed the ThunderClan cats approach.

"Hello, Rosethorn." Blueherb purred, pressing her muzzle into her dark ginger side in greeting. Rosethorn nodded blankly, and gave the RiverClan medicine cat a courteous lick on the ear.

"It's about time you two got here," the dark gray medicine cat of ShadowClan, Shadedhope, snapped, her eyes narrowed into slits. She glanced at another younger cat by her side, and Rosethorn guessed that that was Shadedhope's new apprentice. The new medicine cat apprentice had a pelt that was the color of blood that had long-since dried up. She was a brownish red tabby.

"And who might you be?" Ebonypaw prodded the tabby curiously, though Rosethorn was pretty sure that her apprentice already knew-full well who it was. She had known that Shadedhope had got herself an apprentice, why wouldn't she know the name? Rosethorn knew perfectly well how Ebonypaw found out about the new medicine cat, but she decided not to bring it up. Ebonypaw could make her own decisions.

"My name is Rockyheart," the ShadowClan cat meowed curtly, giving Ebonypaw a stiff nod. "And you are Ebonypaw, medicine cat apprentice of ThunderClan."

"Yup, yup, yup! Rosethorn's my mentor." Ebonypaw didn't seem to notice the edge in Rockyheart's tone, and she jerked her head towards Rosethorn.

"Yes, thank you." Rockyheart muttered with a roll of her amber eyes.

Ebonypaw opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could Graycloud, the medicine cat of WindClan looked up, and let out a soft mew.

"Rosethorn, Ebonypaw, did you two bring company?"

Rosethorn blinked, slightly startled, and looked over her shoulder, to see a gray blur rushing towards them.

Her heart plummeted, as she noticed that it was Thorntail. The ThunderClan warrior stumbled to a halt beside her, and growled, "Rosethorn, come with me."

Rosethorn sighed heavily. If Thorntail was going to tell them it was time to go their separate ways, why did he have to come all the way out here to do it?

"Rosethorn has to share tongues with StarClan," Shadedhope snapped. "Whatever you need her for, it can wait."

Thorntail snorted. "She's needed at camp. A kit's head fell off, and we need her to tell us if it's dead or not."

For a moment, a silence passed around the medicine cats, and Rosethorn dug her claws into the earth. She knew that Thorntail was lying, just so he could take her and they could go off somewhere alone, where he would promptly tell her that he could never be with a cat who not only was he forbidden by the Warrior Code to see, but a cat who despised him, his gender, his Clan, and StarClan.

"If the kit's head fell off," Graycloud meowed after a moment, "I think it's dead."

Thorntail hissed. "But it's still running around in circles!" he whined.

Ebonypaw let out a startled squeak, and Rockyheart and Graycloud exchanged horrified glances. Blueherb and Shadedhope, however, looked skeptical.

"If a kit's head falls off, it is dead. It does not run around in circles." Shadedhope growled.

"Tell that to the kit." Thorntail snapped. To Rosethorn, he added, "We have to go. _Now_."

Rosethorn hesitated for a moment, but finally got to her paws. The ThunderClan warrior began to trot away, and she followed him a few tail-lengths behind, watching the gray cat's muscles ripple under his pelt as he took each brisk step. She looked down at the earth, as they started to climb the plateau that of WindClan. For a fleeting instant, she felt a memory's emotions well up inside her. How they would sneak off to be with each other, how she had comforted him over the death of his brother… How he would look at her, love brimming in his eyes. Love and admiration. He had never truly said it, but oh! She had known that he had loved her.

But now it was over. She wasn't worthy of him. If Thorntail didn't end it, she would.

…

Before Thorntail pounded up the hill, he glanced behind him to make sure that the ThunderClan medicine cat was still following him. She was, however slowly, and a feeling of warmth prickled along every hair on his pelt. He turned, and began to climb.

He settled himself down on the edge, reminding himself that Runningstar had given ThunderClan the right to hunt in his territory for two moons, before he had died. The two moons hadn't ended yet, and though Thorntail wasn't exactly hunting, he doubted any cat in WindClan would tell him that if he didn't steal a rabbit that they'd chase him out. ThunderClan, however, would be a different story.

He'd worry about that later. Right now, his priority was the strawberry-colored she-cat, who had settled herself down about a fox-length away from him. His heart welled, as he recalled the fear that had literally been leaping off of her the last time they had spoken. When she had told him all about Flamesoul, and her terror as an apprentice. At least, he was guessing it was terror. Thorntail couldn't really comprehend the whirlwind of emotions Rosethorn must have been - and probably still was - feeling.

Rosethorn had her eyes fixed on the countless fox-lengths of moors that were beneath them, as the silver moonlight began to touch it with its light claw. Thorntail wracked his brain for what to say, but before he could, she spoke.

"It seems mouse-brained of you to take me all the way over here, just so you can tell me that we should go our separate ways." She meowed coolly.

Thorntail looked at her, startled. The only word he could stutter out was, "Why?"

Rosethorn curled her tail. "Because now Ebonypaw has to cross WindClan territory all alone to get back to camp."

"That's not what I meant." Thorntail growled, his fur starting to bristle. He dug his sapphire eyes into hers. "What I meant was….why do we have to go our separate ways? I thought we were mates."

The medicine cat held his gaze for a moment, before glancing down the side of a hill. "Because I'm not fit to be a mate for anyone." She rasped her voice scarcely over a whisper. She flicked her tail deliberately down at her paws, as if she was ashamed. Thorntail wanted to yowl at her that she had nothing to be ashamed of – that what Flamesoul had done to her was his wrong, not her own. And if StarClan refused to speak to her because of that, then they should all go eat fox-dung! But the words wouldn't come out.

Rosethorn continued, "Because…because…" she searched for the words, her voice cracked with sorrow, "Because I'm abnormal! I'm crazy, Thorntail!" he flinched, and Rosethorn went on, after shaking her head violently. "There's too much in my past…and you'll never look at me the same way again."

Thorntail didn't answer right away. His mind went back four seasons, when he had led Graywhisker into ShadowClan territory, and had shown his brother the proof of their mother's betrayal against Smokestar. He recalled how he had stolen Shadenight right from under Graywhisker's muzzle, and had claimed her as his own mate. He remembered stepping onto the cold Thunderpath, silently pleading for his brother to change his mind. To come back to RiverClan…

He remembered Graywhisker's battered body – one that looked exactly like his own. Shadenight's cry of terror…

"What a coincidence!" Thorntail purred cheerfully. "Rosethorn, I happen to have a lot in my past as well! And I also happen to be abnormal and crazy!"

Rosethorn looked up from her paws, her eyes glowing with surprise. Thorntail suddenly felt self-conscious, and suddenly found his stone-gray paws very fascinating. "You know…I've never done anything, like Flamesoul did to anyone." He explained. "And I'm not a medicine cat, so I'm used to StarClan turning a blind eye to me… and I'm not a she-cat, so I can't even imagine… and I don't really understand how you feel."

Thorntail thought for a moment, post-Graywhisker's death. How many cats had told him to forget about it? Every cat in RiverClan. Twice. Their medicine cat, Blueherb, at least once a day… How could they have known that it was impossible to forget? That forever now, Thorntail would be looking at his shadow twice, half-hoping that it would belong to Graywhisker? That Thorntail was double-take whenever he took a drink from a pool, because for a single heartbeat, he would feel that he was meeting his brother's gaze once more? How would they know the feeling of anguish, to know that there was no shadow in the forest that belonged to Graywhisker now, and until he himself went to join StarClan he would never stare into his brother's eyes again?

Suddenly, Thorntail could almost lay his claws on Rosethorn's woes. She would never forget Flamesoul. Thorntail was always hoping to meet Graywhisker's gaze once more, secretly wishing that his brother was padding next to him…while Rosethorn was constantly wishing that Flamesoul's eyes would stop burning into her own – that Flamesoul's dark shadow on her life would go away. But like how Graywhisker would never be there again, Flamesoul would always be there. Maybe not in the physical sense, but he would always be padding next to Rosethorn. Haunting her. Whenever she tried to escape by taking a mate, she would always see Flamesoul.

Thorntail suddenly decided on what to say. "I'm not going to ask you to forget." He promised, and Rosethorn bolted up, as if she had expected him to say the exact opposite. 'Forget about it, Rosethorn. Flamesoul's gone. You'll never see him again'. Thorntail at least knew that Rosethorn would see him every day and night.

"I know for experience, that it isn't easy to forget…" Thorntail continued, looking down at his shadow that was slowly beginning to ebb away. The broadness of the shoulders, the exact shape of head. If Thorntail hadn't known that Graywhisker was long dead, he would've said that it very well could belong to Graywhisker.

He inched closer to her and their ginger and gray pelts brushed against one another, and the two ThunderClan cats, one pure blood, one half ShadowClan, half RiverClan, gazed out at the moors beneath them. "That talk about forgetting, it's all fox-dung." Thorntail sighed. How he had tried to forget about the true reason Graywhisker had died! He had been able to avoid it for moons, but it all welled up eventually.

"But I want to tell you something, Rosethorn." He turned to her, and she met his gaze, and seemed to be eating it hungrily. "No matter what you have done. No matter what has happened to you. No matter what you will do. In my heart, you'll always be the same." He promised. "Rosethorn, we both started out in tragedies." The image of Graywhisker's bloody corpse flashed in his mind, and he suddenly imagined Flamesoul ushering Rosethorn into the medicine cat's den one night. "But then…" he thought of Swiftfoot's injury, and how he, worried, had padded into Rosethorn – then Rosepaw's – den, and had demanded information on the Clan deputy. "We met." He purred. "We almost instantly picked each other out." Almost. Thorntail had had to do a lot of padding after her.

He suddenly recalled how Rosethorn had licked his wounds. Not from a battle of teeth and claws. But from his own emotional battle of guilt over his brother's death. She had saved him, protected him, in a sense. It was his turn now.

"Rosethorn, we have to pad along together through life- with our tails intertwined, and our pelts brushing against one another…otherwise, we might lose each other in a dark forest. And then we'll lose the courage to escape the forest of tragedies…so…" he burned his gaze into hers. "Why are we separating?"

Joy filled Rosethorn's sapphire gaze for what seemed to be the first time since the night before, and Thorntail intertwined his tail with hers, and leaned over slightly and began to give her ears a gentle wash. She closed her eyes, and stiffened, and for a heartbeat Thorntail thought that he was reminding her of Flamesoul, but she went limp once more, and let out a soft, rumbling purr of joy.

"Rosethorn, I'm sorry…but I'm curious about something." Thorntail purred, settling himself back down in a sitting position. He lowered his voice, as he recalled the secret Rosethorn had admitted to him, of how she murdered the cats she hated in her head. "How many times have I been killed?" He kept his voice calm and cheerful, as if he was asking if she supposed that there would be rain tomorrow or not.

Rosethorn glanced at him, and looked thoughtful for a moment. Thorntail flattened his ears against his head, suddenly sorry he asked. He expected her to say 'Why, more than I can count!'

But instead, she meowed, "Not even once." She let out a purr. "I've never once killed you."

Thorntail, suddenly relieved, let out a sigh.

She looked at him mischievously. "Thorntail, do you remember the first time we met?"

Thorntail blinked. Swiftfoot had quickly introduced him to every cat in the Clan when he first joined, but he doubted Rosethorn counted that. "When Swiftfoot got injured?" Thorntail asked.

"Nope." Rosethorn shook her head. "You really don't remember?" she didn't give him time to answer, and went on, "I knew you wouldn't. You were still an apprentice of ThunderClan, you know… Swiftfoot was your mentor. It was raining that day, and I was out collecting chervil root. But when I found all the chervil root, it was literally surrounded by a moat of mud. I didn't know what to do…and then you came. You literally swam through the mud, and you collected me all the chervil root I needed."

Thorntail stared blankly at her. He couldn't remember doing any such thing! "No way!" he chuckled. "Really?" he thought for a moment. "Did I try to 'woo' you?"

"No." Rosethorn meowed honestly. "But Blackshadow had given me a squirrel earlier that day, and I had it next to me. You said you weren't in the mood for hunting, and asked if you could have the squirrel to put in the fresh-kill pile. You promised me you would catch something later for me later…but you never did."

"Ooh…" Thorntail hung his head. "I guess I never caught you something else for that squirrel, huh?"

"Nope. I saw you later, but you didn't remember the incident at all. After that, I always kept an eye on you…but every single time I saw you, you had a different she-cat with you. Lightheart, Icepelt, Spottedlight…"

Thorntail nodded at the memory.

"But…it's strange…" Rosethorn meowed thoughtfully. "I should've hated you, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to." She cocked her head to one side. "I still don't really know why."

Thorntail looked at her playfully. "Maybe it's because we're both insane."

Rosethorn rumbled agreement, and was silent.

Thorntail's ears pricked, as he heard yowls of fury from below the hill. He gave Rosethorn an uneasy glance, and peeked down. His worry ebbed, however, when he saw that it was just his old pal Rabbitfur chasing a few kits around.

"Get out of WindClan territory!" Thorntail heard her hiss, as she snarled in the face of a small brown she-kit. Her sister, Thorntail guessed, a pretty tortoiseshell let out a startled squeak, and stumbled away a few pawsteps.

Rabbitfur threatened the kits some more, and Thorntail rolled his eyes. What trouble could a couple of kits do to WindClan? Great StarClan, if Rabbitfur had any sense she would take them and turn them into warriors! WindClan needed them right now more than ever.

He turned to Rosethorn. "I guess cats who like to hurt others, are in every Clan." He muttered bleakly, referring to both Silverpaw and Flamesoul.

The matter seemed to both Rosethorn much more then it bothered him, however, and before he could object, the dark ginger she-cat began padding down the hill.

Thorntail watched, slightly amused, as the medicine cat stood protectively over the kits, and mewed something quiet to Rabbitfur.

Rabbitfur let out a ferocious hiss, something about territory, and Thorntail got alarmed. Rabbitfur had a bad history with Rosethorn! He slid down the hill, and stood protectively beside Rosethorn.

"What are you two doing in WindClan territory? And why do you care about these two kits so much?" Rabbitfur snarled, curling her lips into a snarl.

"Runningstar gave us permission. Just because he happens to go where the bad-cats go when they die, doesn't mean that that rule should disappear." Thorntail pointed out. "What's more, I was hunting, and I started to give birth." He rested his tail on the two she-kits. "These are my daughters."

Rosethorn looked sharply at him, and Rabbitfur just stared blankly at him. "What?"

"Rosethorn was helping me through the birth." Thorntail meowed. "Now, leave us alone Rabbitfur, or I'll have to claw both your ears and eyes off."

He let out a purr as Rabbitfur flinched, as she recalled how close she had come to almost that exact threat. She spat at the earth, before trotting away.

"Okay, Rosethorn." Thorntail meowed turning to her. "She'll be back soon, probably with more warriors. Let's make like a rock, and get out of here." As soon as Thorntail said it, he knew that it made no sense.

Rosethorn stared blankly at him. "How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"With Rabbitfur." She purred, as she lowered her head to sooth the small brown she-kit. "She looked so confused."

"Exactly." Thorntail agreed. "You confuse them, and then they lose their footing of thoughts, and then you can take care of them pretty quickly." He glanced at the kits, and sniffed them curiously. Loner kits.

Not particularly caring anymore, he started to pad away, half-expecting Rosethorn to follow him.

However, he also half-expected Rosethorn to stay with the kits, which she did. She spoke to them in a soft tone for a moment, before she called out to him. "They were looking for a place to build a nest for them and their mother. Let's help them."

"Help loners?" Thorntail asked curiously. He looked at the kits. "Alright. I say we go up to that one farm, the one by HighStones. Their mother can follow their scent…" he padded towards them, and glanced at the kits. "But if we make a nest, it has to be a big one." He growled. "I don't do anything half-tailed."

Rosethorn gave him a quick lick on the ear. "Sounds good." She scooped up the tortoiseshell kit, and flicked her tail for Thorntail to grab the brown one. Then, they padded North.

…

Rosethorn watched, slightly amused, as she saw Thorntail and the brown kit return from a small expedition, their mouths filled with brambles.

She turned to the tortoiseshell, and instructed her on how to wrap the brambles around the hollowed-out stone that they were making their temporary nest out of.

Her whiskers twitched with amusement, as the tortoiseshell somehow got the brambles wrapped around her, and Thorntail was forced to come to her aid.

As Rosethorn began to collect moss for bedding, she couldn't help but keep looking at Thorntail, as he rolled around with the kits.

She suddenly knew why she could never bring herself to hate Thorntail before.

It was because he knew despair.

He knew the pain of a wound that would never heal.

…

"Done!" Thorntail purred, and Rosethorn gave him a quick lick on the ear. The two kits slipped between the brambles.

Rosethorn backed up slightly, and examined their work. For a nest, they had chosen a fairly large stone that was hollowed out in the middle. It would work fine for one loner she-cat and her two kits. Really well, because Thorntail had made a rather sturdy wall with his brambles.

Rosethorn padded away slightly, with Thorntail beside her.

"Do you think that they'll remember today?" she prodded him, as the two sprawled out next to each other, admiring their work from afar as the mother found her two kits.

Thorntail's eyes were closed. "Dunno." He mumbled.

Rosethorn glanced at him. "I think that they'll remember. How a big tom, and a big she-cat, two strangers, helped them build a nest… They won't ever forget that." Rosethorn suddenly remembered something the brown kit had said. A temporary nest, because their mother was taking them far north, far past HighStones even. Apparently, their mother wandered from place to place…never really having a home.

It seemed fine for the mother… But that made the nest only temporary. Just like…just like so many other things in her life. Her hopes, her dreams…everything.

"Only…" she mumbled. "The next time it rains, or gets too windy, the brambles will blow away…and the moss will rot…" she looked at her paws. "No matter how big or beautiful anything is, it always gets destroyed."

Thorntail glanced at her, and raised himself into a sitting position. "Then we'll rebuild." He promised, giving her a lick on the ear. Rosethorn looked up at him, startled as he continued, "When something gets ruined, like that nest, you rebuild it. And we'll build one after that one gets destroyed. We'll build them forever." He vowed with a flick of his tail. "As long as your willing, Rosethorn, I'll build as many as you want." He gave her a soft lick on the cheek. "Let's build them together."

**

* * *

A tad rushed on the ending. Anyways, I hope you all realized that Thorntail didn't really mean that he would run around building nests with Rosethorn whenever she wanted. It had a deeper meaning...and you don't have to think too hard! xD Anyways...er...if you review you get a...**

**Rockyheart plushie? Okay, she didn't do anything, but she's there! And one day, far off in sequeal-to-the-series-if-I-make-one-land, she is a character! A semi-main character! YAY! Anyways...er...that's it for now. REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Not too pleased with this chapter. But I felt that this fic was losing some of its WarriorsNess (too much ThorntailxRosethorn stuff, not enough ThunderClan stuff) so I threw in a Gathering. And I went a little too far on some of the references to the jokes - kind of making them old, but I was high on caffeine, slightly bored...and it came out that way. **

**Daklotles85- Well, Romance fics have to be sappy! YAY SAP! And Flamesoul isn't insane. He's just a bad, mean, cruel, disgusting cat that... grrr... **

**Dawnfeather- Go for it! **

**Steeltalon - Oh, don't worry. I'm cold sometimes too. I don't cry when I hear about the holocaust anymore... **

**Rabbitstorm- I'm not mad. It was actually kind of cool of you to do so. YAY! Thanks for all your updates, Rabbitstorm! xD **

**Strangefur- Rockyheart's a she-cat. Anywho's, I think of stones as gray, and rocks as brownish-red. I don't know why. xD **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Rosethorn won't get pregnant because technically, they still haven't mated. So they aren't thinking about running away yet. I don't think it crossed either one's mind. Yet. Oh, and those kittens don't ever appear again. They were there. They're with their mother now. YAY! **

**Thanks to all who reviewed! Seriously, I uploaded the chapter before I went to sleep, I got up in the morning, checked my e-mails. 14 new messages! Well, once I deleted the SPAM, I believe it was 11 reviews! GOLLY LOLLY! So quickly! Thanks everyone! -huggles each reviewer- **

**Enjoy, **

* * *

"Blackshadow?" 

Thorntail's word rang in the air, and if his night-colored friend that lay sprawled out on his side beside him had heard his call, he gave no acknowledgement.

Thorntail's ears flicked with curiosity. Had Sandpelt put the warrior on one too many patrols? Curious, he glanced around the camp looking for the tawny queen, but the only nursing mother that he could see was Dusktail, who was snapping at Badgerclaw's young apprentice, Beakpaw, for some matter or another.

Not able to ask Sandpelt at the moment, Thorntail decided that the matter would best be directed at Blackshadow himself. "Did you hunt too much?" he asked curiously. Blackshadow didn't answer. "How long are you going to be depressed for?"

"I'm not depressed." Blackshadow sighed after a moment, as he slowly heaved himself into a sitting position. "I just can't forgive myself." He shook his head. "I didn't even know about Rosethorn until Applefur told me!" he spat at the ground. Thorntail felt a prickle of understanding.

"Well, you couldn't help it." Thorntail pointed out, giving his chest a few quick licks, before glancing up at the moon. Applefur had sure taken her time in informing Blackshadow of the lay of the land. Already, the full moon was rising, and suddenly Thorntail could pick out Sandpelt as the deputy began to collect the Clan cats that were going to the Gathering. Thorntail was one of them, but he knew that they wouldn't leave for awhile. He couldn't help but wonder if Streamstar was going to go as well, or if she was still too sick.

"You were just an apprentice," Thorntail went on, turning his attention back to Blackshadow. "It's not like you could've fought Flamesoul off, or stopped him, or anything like that."

Blackshadow's amber eyes flashed. "But…I…" he turned away. "This is easy for you. You were in RiverClan, doing only StarClan knows what at the time! But unlike you, I was _right there_, the whole time! I spoke to Flamesoul numerous times, brushed past him…and I had absolutely no clue to what was going on…" he lowered his head to the earth, and Thorntail's heart twisted as he understood Blackshadow's perspective on the matter. He feigned indifference, however, and just went on with washing his ears.

"Besides, as just a regular warrior, and not a medicine cat…I can't even understand what she went through…" Blackshadow continued. He turned back around, and leveled his gaze with his friend. "What about you? Are you alright about Flamesoul?"

Thorntail thought about the flame-pelted tom for a moment. And Rosethorn… their ginger pelts brushing one another… He recalled Rosethorn's terror as Thorntail had tried to mate with her…

Without even meaning to, he dug his claws into the earth, and curled his lips into a snarl. "You're kidding, right?" he spat. "If I could, I'd flay his skin into kit bedding!" The feeling of helplessness overwhelmed him once more, and he looked away. "Not that it matters anyways. No matter what I do, Rosethorn's scars won't go away…"

"But are you sure you can make it…work?" Blackshadow pressed. "She's a medicine cat, so it's forbidden. And you said she gets so scared whenever you try to mate with her… Can you really_ be_ with her?"

Thorntail thought for a moment. He decided to tell the truth. "I'm not really sure." He purred, getting to his paws to pad towards the Gorse Tunnel where the warriors of his Clan were slowly starting to gather. "But…I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to be born…" Blackshadow stared at him blankly, and Thorntail decided to explain. "My mother used Smokestar to get into ShadowClan so she could be with her _real_ mate. Graywhisker couldn't deal with that fact, and he killed himself. I got pretty twisted from the realization." He paused, and he suddenly recalled all the confusion he had felt when he had found out about how Lightsnow had cleverly used Smokestar's position as deputy, and his brother's suicide. "I started to wonder if I really had any purpose in the world…so for some reason I'd run around, find any she-cat I could find – even if they weren't in my Clan…and well…I'd have fun."

He started towards the Gorse Tunnel, Blackshadow slowly following behind him. "But you know…Rosethorn loves me anyway." He glanced mischievously at his friend. "You know, of all the she-cats I've been with, there's never been one like her. So forgiving, and kind…maybe it's because she's a medicine cat, and has been selfless almost her whole life. But…we grew up in separate Clans, not even knowing that the other existed but…" he twisted his neck and gave Blackshadow a curt nod. "But she loves me anyway. She needs me, and I need her. I guess I'm not just crow-food after all, huh?"

Thorntail touched noses in greeting with Sandpelt, who then turned to give some swift orders to Badgerclaw. Blackshadow padded to Thorntail's side, and looked like he had something to put in the conversation, but Thorntail cut him off with a flick of his tail, when he noticed their mates, Applefur and Rosethorn slowly padding to join the group of cats to go the Gathering. However, they stood a few tail-lengths away, and were talking in hushed voices.

Blackshadow seemed to follow his gaze. "Thorntail, you don't want to listen in, do you?"

"I'm curious." Thorntail mumbled. He muttered a 'pardon me' to Icepelt as he slithered around her, and inched closer to the two she-cats. They were talking so quietly that he almost couldn't hear them – even with his ears pricked and tuned towards them.

"This may seem cruel to you," Applefur murmured, giving her friend a lick on the ear, "But maybe that awful stuff that Flamesoul did to you was the step you had to take to be with Thorntail. Otherwise, you'd be too busy being a pristine medicine cat, wouldn't you?" she nudged Rosethorn playfully. The medicine cat almost stumbled off of her paws, but she quickly regained her footing. As Thorntail felt her sapphire gaze burn into his pelt, he quickly looked away, and pretended to mention something to Blackshadow.

"But…am I good enough?" Rosethorn asked softly, and Thorntail's heart wrenched in two. She was _still _thinking that she was inadequate? Great StarClan, she was p_erfect_! He almost pounded over to her, and call her a mouse-brain for being so pessimistic, but Blackshadow waved his tail in front of his gray friend, silently telling him that it was probably a discussion for Applefur and Applefur alone.

"I want to be with Thorntail and all…" Rosethorn's voice was even softer now, but Thorntail doubted she needed to hide his name at the moment. Every cat in the Clan was pressuring Sandpelt about some frivolous matter or another. "But am I good enough? I mean I'm…" she had to rip the next few words from her throat, "I'm dirty…" Rosethorn's mew was cracked with emotion.

Thorntail snuck a peek at them, and he noticed that Applefur stood shocked for a moment, before her fur bristled. "Dirty?" She echoed. "Dirty, Rosethorn, if you're dirty, you tell me one thing in this forest that isn't!"

Applefur was yowling so loud, that all the cats turned to look at her. The queen flattened her ears against her head, and muttered something about Rosethorn being worried about a dirty pelt.

Once the Clan turned their attention back to Sandpelt, who was announcing which apprentices would go, who was guarding the camp – who Thorntail already knew was Badgerclaw and Twilightfur – and about Streamstar's sickness, Applefur went on speaking, her voice a low growl.

"There are traitors in every shadow, there are loner-traitor-sibling pieces of fox-dung running around the Clan, and practically every tom has become an eternal mouse-brain! And do you actually think that Thorntail's not dirty?" Applefur snarled, ad Thorntail flinched at her tone. Dirty? "Rosethorn, before Thorntail got to know you, he was horrible!"

Blackshadow turned to him, and looked at him curiously, and Thorntail gave his tail a few self-conscious licks.

Applefur continued, "Thorntail was reckless, he broke the Warrior Code _at least_ once a day, and he didn't care about the consequences!"

Thorntail cringed, and he was pretty sure that he would lick his tail off if he kept cleaning it self-consciously.

"Rosethorn, do you remember when Thorntail was 'mates' with Gingerleaf?" Applefur prodded curiously, and Thorntail could almost hear Rosethorn squeak an 'I guess' before Applefur cut her off. "Yes, well, Rosethorn, he did not _just _take me off to the Great Sycamore and mate with _me_, but also I saw him running into WindClan territory numerous times…and I don't think he was spying or stealing prey, if you know what I mean."

Blackshadow stiffened beside him, and flashed his friend a curious look. "Thorntail, you had an illegal mate?"

"I had a few." Thorntail admitted. "But they were nothing serious…but…but…how does Applefur know…?" Had she been stalking him? Great StarClan, warriors didn't have enough to do! And now he'd have to look behind him any time he went hunting or patrolling. Two cats in his life had followed him around – Applefur, and Silverpaw – and he never even noticed. For all he knew, the whole of ShadowClan could be slinking just behind him, and he never bothered to look behind him and sniff the air!

Applefur stopped her attempted-soft-spoken tirade, and seemed to settle down slightly. Rosethorn was just staring at her in blankly, her mouth moving, as if she was trying to make a word, but nothing was coming out.

"But you know…with Thorntail…" Applefur chuckled lightly. "Maybe even though he looked like he was having a good time – living the best of Clan life and the best of the carefree lifestyle of a loner – I don't think he really ever gave his heart to any of his other 'mates'." Applefur nuzzled her friend affectionately. "Even when he would give compliments, or say something cute or sweet he was always a little… cold. But when he's with you, he's just a normal, mouse-brained tom that if you put your mind to, you could make him believe that a rabbit was Clan leader. I think that that's a great power you have, Rosethorn."

Thorntail had to stifle a purr of amusement. Blackshadow purred good naturedly too, before they both decided that they could go and speak to the two she-cats now.

"Hello, Applefur, Rosethorn." Thorntail meowed, giving each a curt nod. Blackshadow padded up to his side, mewling a greeting to Applefur. "Are you two going to the Gathering?"

"Yes I am." Applefur meowed proudly. "I feel sorry for Dusktail though. She has to watch ten kits all by herself."

"But they're all asleep by now…" Rosethorn pointed out.

Applefur nodded in agreement, and suddenly she squeaked as if she remembered something. "Did Rosethorn tell you the good news yet, Thorntail?"

"No," Thorntail looked at the scarlet medicine cat curiously. "What is it?"

Rosethorn nudged Applefur for her friend to answer, and the queen snorted, before growling, "Streamstar's almost all better! She's just too weak to go the Gathering. Apparently by tomorrow, she might be able to get back on patrols and such."

"Wow! Good job, Rosethorn!" Thorntail purred, fighting himself not to lunge at her and give her a furious gray of licks.

"And there's more good news!" Thorntail jumped, when he heard a soft meow right next to him. He looked sharply below, and purred when he saw Rosethorn's young apprentice, Ebonypaw, with her emerald eyes glowing with joy. "I'm_ not_ going to the Gathering!" she announced.

"Ebonypaw, why do you hate Gatherings so much?" Blackshadow asked curiously. "I always loved them when I was an apprentice. In fact, I still do."

"I don't hate them." Ebonypaw explained, with a shrug of her shoulders. "Morningpaw's not goin', and I wanted to keep her company."

Thorntail curled his tail as he thought of Blackshadow's feisty little tortoiseshell apprentice. He had not thought that Morningpaw would go, as she was the least skilled apprentice (even Gingerpaw, who had only begun her training a half-moon ago had surpassed Morningpaw in both hunting and fighting), but she had also accidentally-on-purpose spilled mouse-bile all over Badgerclaw and Shrewtail's nests, and then had dared to argue with her mentor, and go so far as to call Blackshadow a pitiful mentor to his face.

No, Morningpaw wasn't going to the Gathering.

"Is Aquapaw going?" Thorntail asked curiously, naming Morningpaw and Ebonypaw's sister.

Ebonypaw nodded. "Aquapaw, Beakpaw, and Gingerpaw are all goin'."

"Aquapaw and Beakpaw?" Thorntail echoed. He couldn't help but wonder if they would be receiving their warrior names soon. Sure, they had only been apprentices for two moons instead of the usual three, but they were_ great _apprentices. Aquapaw could hunt better then any of the warriors in the Clan, including her mentor, Icepelt, and she wasn't exactly too bad at using her claws against those of her own kind as well. Beakpaw, Blackshadow's half-brother, was a fierce and ferocious fighter, and Aquapaw had given him some tips on hunting. Those two apprentices were both great at something, and both offered their skill to the other. And he was pretty sure the two were very obedient apprentices, considering he had never heard anything bad about them, even from their mentors.

Though, maybe the Clan was just comparing them to Morningpaw to much, in which case, they were as perfect as StarClan warriors.

Rosethorn meowed something quietly to her apprentice, but Thorntail didn't get to hear it, because Sandpelt let out a call, and they slipped through the Gorse Tunnel.

Gathering.

…

Thorntail gazed around the hollow curiously, as the full moon hung over head. He noticed Rosethorn pad over to the other medicine cats, and touch noses affectionately with the RiverClan medicine cat, Blueherb. Applefur on the other paw, was almost instantly pummeled by a small, blue-gray she-cat who looked as lean as a WindClan cat.

Probably because she was one.

"Oh, look, Blackshadow!" Thorntail purred, flicking his tail at his latest discovery. "A group of apprentices. Want to annoy them?"

"What would we do this time?" Blackshadow sighed.

Thorntail thought for a moment. Sometimes, he would twist the truth around, and tell ridiculous stories about ThunderClan to the apprentices. Made-up ThunderClan secrets. Then the apprentices would run off and tell their leaders, and then would be cuffed on the ear for telling such a silly lie. He wasn't in the mood for that today, however, and wracked his brain for a different way to bother them.

He didn't get to dwell on it long, however, and a small, wiry brown she-cat settled herself down in front of his vision. Rabbitfur.

"Hello, Blackshadow, Thorntail." She meowed curtly, giving each of them a small nod. Blackshadow mewed a cheerful greeting, but Rabbitfur didn't seem to hear it. To Thorntail, she asked, "So, how are your kits that you gave birth to on WindClan territory?"

Blackshadow let out a startled squeak, but Thorntail simply shrugged. "Oh, I took them back to camp, but then their heads fell off. It's an epidemic in ThunderClan," he meowed briskly.

This made Blackshadow nearly leap out of his fur, and Rabbitfur looked slightly shocked that he had been able to answer so smoothly. She nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, Graycloud told me about that…_problem_."

Thorntail nodded, sorrowfully. "It's so sad, it really is. I hope WindClan doesn't catch Kit-head-falling-off-disease." At Rabbitfur's confuse amber gaze, he put in, "Rosethorn couldn't think of a better name."

"I do hope we can ward it off as well." Rabbitfur sighed, and Thorntail had to stifle a purr. Great StarClan, she actually believed him. "Runningwhisker recently got pregnant with kits." She shook her head. "I'd hate for their heads to fall off."

Thorntail nodded blankly, his mind wracking. Last time he checked, WindClan had had no toms. How had Runningwhisker gotten pregnant? Had she been sneaking off into another Clan's territory? Well, besides ThunderClan, in which she had been stealing prey.

"Well, it was very nice speaking to you, Rabbitfur." Blackshadow growled, rising to his paws. "But I think I'm going to go…away _now_."

Blackshadow started to pad towards away, and Thorntail muttered a 'good-bye' to Rabbitfur, before he rushed to catch up.

"Great StarClan, Thorntail!" Blackshadow muttered as they began to pad towards Applefur and her blue-gray WindClan companion, "What was all that talk of your kits?"

"Oh, it was a little lie." Thorntail shrugged. "Rabbitfur was the one mouse-brained enough to actually think that it was true." Blackshadow couldn't argue with that, and instead purred a 'Hi' to Applefur.

While Applefur greeted her mate, Thorntail leveled his gaze with the pretty blue-gray she-cat beside her. Her fur was smooth, and sleek, not at all ruffled by the wind like a normal WindClan cat. It reminded him more of a RiverClan cat's sparkling pelt. Her yellow eyes burned into his, and Thorntail gave the small she-cat a curt nod, his pelt prickling with unease, as he suddenly felt a sheer longing for…her.

"Thorntail," Applefur purred, snapping him away from his thoughts. She jerked her head towards the WindClan cat. "This is Timidlea- sorry." She muttered to her friend. "Thorntail, this is Timid_star_. Leader of WindClan."

Thorntail let out a squeak of alarm. Timidstar, leader of WindClan? That couldn't be! Leaders were old, and ugly. Well, they were supposed to be. With leaders like Streamstar, and apparently Timidstar toddling their way up the ranks, apparently leaders were now young and gorgeous. But… Timidstar looked like a young warrior! She couldn't be a leader!

Timidstar seemed to notice his surprise, and she let out a purr. "I was only a warrior for three moons before I became leader."

"How'd that happen?"

Timidstar shrugged her shoulders and explained. "Mapleleaf and I are the only two WindClan cats alive that have ever had an apprentice. And the Clan decided that I would be a more suitable leader of the two of us…so I accepted."

Thorntail nodded blankly. So, Timidstar had barely gotten to taste her warriorship. That explained her kittish greeting to Applefur earlier. But that was alright. He would enjoy seeing her up on the Great Rock, with the starlight shimmering on her pelt.

"Hey, Thorntail." Blackshadow prodded him sharply in the side, and jerked his black head towards a group of she-cats who were burning their gazes into the gray warrior's pelt. "Do you know them?"

Thorntail blinked, curiously, and looked at them. Instantly they all let out furious hisses, and purposely ignored him.

"Oh, yeah…I know them." He muttered, embarrassed. The she-cats were all from RiverClan, and ShadowClan. Two Clans that he had practically ravaged with, well…

"Is there a she-cat in the forest that hasn't called you her 'mate' at least once?" Blackshadow snapped softly, and Thorntail thought for a moment. Yeah…there were a few. Mostly in WindClan. He had never been in that Clan, so it was always such a hassle to get to know any cat there, and then sneak off to see her.

"Hello," Rosethorn mewed softly, as she padded over to join them. Beside her, was a dark ginger ShadowClan tom, which Thorntail recognized as Foxpaw…well, Blackshadow had recently told him that Foxpaw was now Foxheart. Thorntail gave the young warrior a curt nod, just as Rosethorn properly introduced him to Timidstar and Applefur who seemed to have forgotten him. However, Timidstar didn't stay around long after that, and quickly excused herself to go and speak with the other Clan leaders.

"So, Foxheart, how are things in ShadowClan?" Blackshadow asked curiously. Foxheart shrugged his shoulders. "Marshpaw and Shimmerpaw were made warriors. Their names are Marshclaw and Shimmerpelt now."

"Marshclaw?" Rosethorn echoed, and Foxheart flashed a glance at her, and confirmed her mewl with a grunt.

"Oh, that's good, I guess." Applefur purred. Foxheart asked the ThunderClan cats the same question that Blackshadow asked him, and before Thorntail could answer, Applefur took the liberty. "Oh, we're all fine."

"Except for the fact that our kit's heads are falling off." Blackshadow meowed sarcastically with a cold glance at Thorntail. Applefur stared blankly at the ebony-pelted tom, but Rosethorn, knowing where Blackshadow's statement had come from, gave her chest a self-conscious lick.

"Oh, and I had kits!" Thorntail purred, deciding to play along with Blackshadow. Foxheart narrowed his emerald eyes coldly, and Thorntail realized that he had forgotten that ShadowClan cats were notorious for having _no_ sense of humor. How could it be that he was actually half-ShadowClan?

"Did Streamstar's head fall off?" Foxheart asked curtly, flicking his tail at Sandpelt who was speaking talking to Timidstar, Smokestar, and Duststar, possibly discussing how to run the Gathering. Thorntail's fur prickled, as he noticed the sarcasm in Foxheart's voice.

Before any of his Clanmates could answer, Thorntail curled his upper lip, and meowed, "Yes, Streamstar's head fell off. We have no clue to as of why. Luckily, however, it wasn't her ninth life, and her head grew right back. She was just feeling a little spooked about the whole matter, and didn't want to come to the Gathering."

Thorntail let out a rumbling purr of amusement, as he saw the humor glitter in the ShadowClan cat's eyes.

"_Mrrow-ow!"_ Foxheart purred. "Send Streamstar my regards." He chuckled lightly, and Thorntail nodded.

Jokingly, Thorntail meowed, "Great StarClan! A ShadowClan cat with emotions! Foxheart, tell me, when you guys are apprentices, do your mentors teach you how to keep an uncaring expression on your face at Gatherings."

"Wouldn't you know?" Blackshadow muttered beside him, and Thorntail rolled his eyes. His relationship with his ShadowClan mentor, Rubyheart, had been a…peculiar one. She had taught him how to fight like a ShadowClan cat, and hunt like a ShadowClan cat, but she never got to teach him much else about nobility or anything like that. Their training sessions quickly turned into…something else. Thorntail stifled a purr, as he thought of one of his first mates… his semi-beloved Rubyheart.

Foxheart didn't take Thorntail's comment as an insult, and let out a rumbling purr of amusement. He opened his mouth to answer Thorntail's query but before he could, he received a small cuff on the ear from a dark black she-cat that Thorntail recognized as Ravenfeather. ShadowClan's deputy.

Thorntail half-expected her to snap at the young warrior, but instead she meowed, "You're showing too much emotion, mouse-brain! I _know_ Reedsong taught you better than that!"

Thorntail chuckled with amusement, as did his Clanmates at Ravenfeather's sarcasm. Ravenfeather was popular in all the Clans for her humor, and her being slightly different than any other ShadowClan cats that you'd meet. Except for, evidently, Foxheart.

Ravenfeather looked like she was going to say more, but she narrowed her eyes as she looked at Rosethorn, who was at Thorntail's side. "Rosethorn, are you alright? I can smell your fear scent from here."

Thorntail glanced at the medicine cat, and flinched at the powerful fear scent radiating from her. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"Hm?" she stared blankly at him for a moment. "Oh…uh…no, I'm fine."

Thorntail doubted that she really was, but he decided to drop the matter for now.

"Foxheart, we should probably go." Ravenfeather mused softly. "I think the Gathering's going to start soon." She flicked her tail towards the Great Rock, where Thorntail noticed that the three Clan leaders and Sandpelt were standing.

"You don't have to go." Applefur meowed, her voice friendly. "We can listen together."

"Oh, I think we should go." Ravenfeather growled. "I have a feeling there's going to be a bit of arguing between Smokestar and Sandpelt. I'm not sure if I could restrain myself from clawing ThunderClan fur off."

With that, the two ShadowClan cats slinked off towards a cluster of their own Clanmates.

"Well, that wasn't a good sign." Applefur announced, referring to Ravenfeather's ominous message.

Thorntail nodded in agreement, but pushed that out of his mind right now. "Rosethorn, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She sighed. "I just thought I saw Silverpaw." She flicked her tail at a silver cat a few tail-lengths away. For a moment, Thorntail thought that it was Silverpaw too, but when the cat turned to speak to one of its companions, he noticed that its eyes were tawny-colored, not leaf-green. And she had the whole of her tail, and wasn't missing her tail-tip.

"It's not," he pointed out helpfully.

"I know. I just thought it was for a moment." Rosethorn muttered. Before Thorntail could reply, a loud yowl from the top of the Great Rock alerted him.

His whiskers twitched, as he gazed up at the four cats on the Great Rock. Sandpelt's golden pelt had turned silver in the moonlight, and her eyes seemed to scan every single cat under her paws. Timidstar was kneading the rock beneath her with her paws, and Thorntail wasn't sure if it was because she was anxious, or because she had to make rain. The brown-and-gray RiverClan leader, Duststar was flicking his tail lazily about, looking neither anxious nor confident, and Thorntail guessed that Duststar was either an amazing actor, or nothing big had happened in RiverClan.

His pelt prickled, as he noticed the light-gray tom, Smokestar, his leaf-green eyes narrowed into slits as he gazed at the cats beneath him. Smokestar was standing slightly in front of the other leaders, and Thorntail guessed it was because the ShadowClan leader had made the call for the Gathering to begin.

"Cats of all Clans," Smokestar meowed diplomatically giving his tail a quick flick, "I bid you welcome to the Gathering." He glanced at Duststar, and stepped back, while the RiverClan tom took his place.

Thorntail nodded blankly, as Duststar announced new apprentices, a new warrior, a new litter of kits, and a new queen. Shadenight.

Shadenight!?

_Great StarClan, Owlpelt moves faster than I do._ Thorntail thought begrudgingly. Duststar, finished with his news, stepped back, and Timidstar took his place, her whiskers twitching.

"I have recently received my nine lives from StarClan," Timidstar announced, her voice calm and crisp in the night. "And WindClan is proud to announce a new warrior; Silverleaf. He did not join us to this Gathering, but is still honored nonetheless." A few rumbles of confusion milled about the Clan cats below, wondering at the news of Silverleaf. A tom? Last time everyone had checked, WindClan had had no toms left.

But Thorntail's pelt prickled with anxiety. Silverleaf… The cat Rosethorn had seen might not have been the bothersome, crazed feminine-looking tom, but he had a hunch that this Silverleaf was.

He shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't his problem anymore.

"And WindClan also is overjoyed to announce Runnningwhisker's pregnancy," Timidstar continued, her voice filled with pride, and Thorntail shivered. WindClan only had one tom… Silverleaf. If Runningwhisker was pregnant…then that meant…

He shrugged again. _It. Did. Not. Matter._

"That is all the news WindClan has." Timidstar meowed, stumbling on one or two words before she took moved to take her place beside Smokestar, but before she could, Sandpelt stopped her with a soft hiss.

The ThunderClan deputy stepped forward, and leveled her gaze with Timidstar's. "ThunderClan have been scenting WindClan on our territory." She growled. "WindClan scent, along with fresh-kill… Timidstar, in WindClan's _weakness_, have they turned to stealing prey?"

A few ThunderClan warriors yowled their agreement, and Timidstar struggled for an answer. Before she could get it out, Smokestar stepped forward, the ShadowClan leader towering over both of the she-cats.

"Yes, ShadowClan has scented WindClan on or territory as well." He flicked his tail, shrugging his shoulders. "It shouldn't be too hard to eradicate this problem. ThunderClan and WindClan can be taught a lesson very easily."

"ThunderClan?" Sandpelt echoed, looking away from Timidstar and staring blankly at the big gray cat. "What do you mean, Smokestar?"

"ShadowClan also smelled ThunderClan on our territory," Smokestar announced. "And it is obvious that they were stealing prey… If you ask me, before ThunderClan accuses others of thievery, they should look within their own borders."

"ThunderClan have not stolen so much as a mouse-tail from ShadowClan." Sandpelt snapped, her fur bristling making the small golden she-cat look twice her size. Thorntail shifted uncomfortably, knowing that Sandpelt had unwittedly lied. "But we _have_ had a patrol of ours attacked by a ShadowClan patrol, the first one since Swiftfoot's injury. But if I recall correctly, our _apprentice,_ Beakpaw, sent _several_ of your warriors screeching away."

"ShadowClan defends its territory." Smokestar snapped, not denying Sandpelt's words of the attack, but also not commenting on Beakpaw's skill (even though Thorntail knew that Sandpelt had exaggerated quite a bit.). "And we will be quick to make both WindClan and ThunderClan pay for their thievery."

"And ThunderClan will be quick to make ShadowClan pay for their lies." Sandpelt retorted, while Timidstar lived up to her name and timidly backed away. Thorntail knew that Smokestar was taking a risk in making war with two Clans at once…but both ThunderClan and WindClan were at their weakest and most pitiful states. WindClan had been smacked around by all three of the other Clans, and then had been mouse-brained enough to attack ThunderClan head on, with a mass of ThunderClan traitors. The attack had left both Clans weaker than normal, while RiverClan and ShadowClan thrived.

Thorntail shifted uncomfortably again, guilt yowling in his ears about stealing that prey. It had been so long now, that he had almost forgotten it, but he supposed that ShadowClan never would. And Thorntail knew that even after he had stopped, Icepelt had gone on with sneaking across the border.

Once the initial confrontation was over between the leaders, Sandpelt went on to explain how Streamstar had fallen ill under Greencough – but had made a strict point on how she was getting better, and she also announced Onepaw and Flowertail's death, and Gingerpaw's apprenticeship.

But Thorntail noticed that hardly any cat paid a mouse-tail's worth of attention. The WindClan cats were mewing quietly to themselves, worried about the anger of ThunderClan and ShadowClan, and the ThunderClan cats around Thorntail spoke of their anxiety over ShadowClan – WindClan wasn't a threat, they were just bothersome – but the ShadowClan cats let out amused purrs, and Thorntail could hear them swipe their claws in the air, proud of the power they once again held in the Clan. The RiverClan warriors and apprentices were the only ones that paid a scrap of attention to Sandpelt's report, and Thorntail guessed that none of them really cared.

His fur prickled. As if he and Rosethorn hadn't enough problems as it was, they had to have ShadowClan cats yowling for their blood!

* * *

**Eh. I like corny things, so I made the ending corny. -coughs- Anyyywaaaayyyysss... Who wants a Foxheart plushie? You only get one if you review! -hisses- **


	16. Chapter 15

**-coughs- Well, here we are. Sorry for the long wait of about...two days. But c'mon peoples! Some writers only update once a week! Is two days REALLY that long of a time? **

**Anyways... I'm disappointed with this chapter. You'll see why. **

**And note about Silverpaw: I changed his name from Silvershadow to Silverwing. Why? Well...there's already a Blackshadow. And I just KNOW that I'd be typing Blackshadow's name where Silvershadow's name should've been, and Silvershadow's name where Blackshadow's name should be...and that would just end up with a lot of confusion. But I'm not happy with the name Silverwing...so that's his name for this chapter, but if you can think of a better one, PLEASE tell me. I'll then export this chapter, and rewrite it a tad so Silverwing will become something else. Yes, it can be slightly feminine...because that would open up a lot of humorous points. YAY! Once again, I apologize for this chapter... But the conversation with said Silverwing is VERY important, and gives motivation for the coming events... The conversation with Silverwing will be very choppy, because originally it was in Silverwing's POV. I changed that because...I thought it was too twisted. Plus, I think it would've worked better in First Person, but I'm not going to changes perspectives like that...so yeah. **

**Sorry.**

**x-Secrets-x- Okay, I know you exaggerated quite a bit. You are a FAR better writer than I. You just are. Accept it. And I'm still looking over that one chapter, as I said, TOO MANY THUNDERSTORMS! NO COMPUTER FOR ME! EEP! **

**Daklotles85- Well, I shouldn't write fast. This chapter is a perfect example to as of why.**

**Blackpelt - THANK YOU! **

**Sunlit Snowdrift - Rosethorn and Thorntail didn't adopt the kits. They just helped them buil their nest until their mother came. Those kits are loner kits, and I didn't even give them names. They probably won't show up again.**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Thanks for your review! Most of your predictions are pretty accurate...but not all of them... -snickers-**

**Steeltalon- It's needed. Remember Smokestar and Thorntail's twisted father-son relationship? I had to explore that SOMETIME. **

**Rabbitstorm- NO FOXHEART PLUSHIE FOR YOU! YOU ARE UNWORTHY! ... Oh, I'm kidding, here. -tosses-**

**Enjoy this horrid excuse for a chapter!**

* * *

_The dark forest around him seemed to stretch on forever, as he sank his paws into the half-melted snow for a heartbeat, before lurching himself forward once more. The cold air and sense of foreboding gripped him like an icy claw, as the stone-gray warrior pounded through the unfamiliar territory, his sapphire eyes glancing twice at every scrap of darkness, hoping to see his shadow, his opposite, his kin, waiting for him. _

_"Graywhisker!" he cried, Thorntail's voice echoing against the darkness. Silence answered him, the loudest silence that had ever run against the edges of his ears. A feeling of despair wrapped around him, before he rested his eyes on the thin green ferns that were gently blowing in the wind. Curious, the newly-named RiverClan warrior pushed himself through them, and let out a soft rumbling purr as he noticed the cat that shared every physical characteristic that he did. The same strong broad shoulders, the same sapphire eyes, identical stormy-gray pelts which hid solid muscles. _

_He cut his purr off short instantly, and he suddenly felt rooted to the powdery snow under his paws, as he noticed the dark, cold Thunderpath that ran under the other RiverClan cat's legs. _

_Instantly, realization hit him. "Graywhisker…" he meowed his voice cracking like shattering ice as he stepped to the edge of the stony path. "Please…come back." _

_Graywhisker's blue-irises burned into his Clanmate's and brother's for a heartbeat that seemed to last for a moon. His gray pelt ruffled in the wind, as he meowed with his voice icily calm, "I'll wait for you, Thorntail." he paused for a moment, as if purposely giving Thorntail time to register the meaning of the other gray cat's words. "I'll wait for you to join me." _

_Graywhisker's glance then strayed towards the two burning fiery suns of the monster's eyes, and before Thorntail could let the piercing yowl escape his throat, it was over. _

_Thorntail couldn't even yet feel the heartless fangs of grief and sorrow dig into his throat, before he heard his voice – Graywhisker's voice – hiss in soft, malicious tone from what seemed like a tail-length away, even though the lifeless corpse had tumbled away, 'I'm still waiting for you, Thorntail.'_

'_I'm still waiting for you to join me. Why won't you come, Thorntail? Follow me. Follow me. Follow…me…_'

…

Thorntail's eyes bolted open, his breath hitched in his throat. For an instant, he felt his heart shatter into countless pieces, as if Graywhisker had just died that night, and not those many moons ago.

He glanced around the Warrior's Den, his mind fluttering onto a thousand things at once; Graywhisker, Patrols, Rosethorn, Lightsnow, Patrols, Smokestar, Flamesoul, Patrols…

He let out a squeak of alarm, when he remembered that Sandpelt had placed him on the Dawn Patrol. He stumbled to his paws, and slipped out of the Warrior's Den, his blue eyes wide with relief, as he noticed that Icepelt, and Badgerclaw hadn't left yet.

He padded towards them, his paws feeling as heavy as the four great oaks as the light of the shimmering dawn warming his pelt.

"Good morning, Thorntail." Icepelt meowed cheerfully, rasping her pink tongue along her cloud-colored side. Thorntail grunted a greeting, and the beady little eyes of Badgerclaw narrowed into curious slits.

"Are you alright, Thorntail?" Before Thorntail could answer the other warrior's question, Badgerclaw went on, "If you like, I could get Twilightfur to take your place, and you could rest a bit."

"After ShadowClan's threats last night?" Icepelt hissed her tail curling as she most likely recalled Twilightfur's original ShadowClan allegiance.

"Twilightfur is a loyal, ThunderClan warrior." Badgerclaw defended coolly, and Thorntail stifled a purr. It was no secret who Badgerclaw had started to pad after. To Thorntail, Badgerclaw added, "Would you like me to get her?"

Thorntail hesitated for a moment, but quickly decided that he would make up for skipping this patrol by hunting extra. Or do nothing. Whatever happened first. "Please," he mewed.

While Badgerclaw padded off to retrieve Twilightfur, Icepelt let out a snort. "Well, Thorntail, if ShadowClan attacks this patrol, and Twilightfur changes sides on us…and I join StarClan… I guarantee that I will make your life a nightmare."

"Too late," Thorntail muttered, turning away from Icepelt just as Badgerclaw returned with Twilightfur brushing against his side.

…

"Ebonypaw, I found a clump of Goldenrod here." Rosethorn announced, flicking her tail towards the newly-found herb that was growing just around the Great Sycamore. "Do you know what we use it for?"

Ebonypaw gave a bored glance at the sun, which was just beginning to chase away the blackness of night, before she answered, "Healing wounds."

Rosethorn nodded, her heart twisting with pride. Ebonypaw already knew all the herbs and their uses, and had proved it numerous times, but she couldn't help but occasionally prod her apprentice – she never ceased to amaze her mentor, no matter how many times she answered the same questions correctly. "Excellent. I want you to collect some, and take it back to camp. I'm going to go and get some chervil root and poppy seeds, and then…" she trailed off, as she saw a gorgeous silver she-cat emerge from the Gorse Tunnel. Her heart lurched, and she almost snapped at Ebonypaw to tell her to run as she remembered Silverpaw – Silverleaf...and his calm, emotionless face as he tried to murder her… his inability to accept change…

Pitiful, Pitiful Silverleaf…

Rosethorn glanced twice at Silverleaf…and let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't Silverleaf at all. It was just Streamstar who slipped out of camp with Sandpelt for her first hunt since the Greencough had left her lungs.

Rosethorn shivered. Why was she seeing Silverleaf everywhere? At Gatherings, leaving her camp… Why was the effeminate tom showing up?

She blinked. _Silverleaf._ Then she realized. It was just like her fear of Flamesoul – she still occasionally saw the ginger tom stalking about the shadows… And why? Because she was afraid Flamesoul would come back and do..._that_…to her again. She thought for a moment. Silverleaf was out of her Clan and out of her life, and it was quite logical to believe that she would never see him again. But…she needed to make sure. She needed to be positive that Silverleaf knew the lay of the land. He had thought that Rosethorn and Thorntail's love for one another would be shattered by her secret. She needed to burn it into his brain that he was wrong…and then _she_ could be at peace.

"Ebonypaw," she meowed turning the night-colored apprentice, "We're going to WindClan territory.

…

Rosethorn's scarlet pelt looked like a reverse-waterfall of blood, as she slowly climbed the plateau of Silverleaf's new home. Every few moments, glanced behind her, to see Ebonypaw struggling to the top – struggling mainly because Ebonypaw had never dropped the Goldenrod that Rosethorn had ordered her to collect.

Once the two she-cats had all four paws safely on the moors of WindClan territory, Ebonypaw let out a choking gasp. "Great StarClan, Rosethorn, what are we doing here?"

"I need to see Silverleaf." Rosethorn meowed honestly, flicking her tail dismissively. Deciding that that ended the matter, she sniffed the air, and the pungent scent of wind and rain entered her nostrils. Generic WindClan cats, but she couldn't scent Silverleaf. Though…she couldn't scent Silverleaf when the tom was sitting just behind her. She doubted she'd be able to pick out his scent among the other unfamiliar she-cats that stalked the windy moors.

"Silverleaf…do you mean Silverpaw?" Ebonypaw echoed padding to her mentor's side. "Why? He tried to kill you."

Rosethorn nodded, trying to shake the anxiety that was clinging to her pelt like a leech. She knew that better than any cat what Silverleaf had tried to do to her. And that was one of the top reasons she had to see him. "It doesn't matter, Ebonypaw." She growled. "Now, I'm trusting you to stay with me, and not mention this to any cat." Ebonypaw was the only cat that she would've been able to get this far. Thorntail would've clawed her and called her a mouse-brain for wanting to find Silverleaf, Applefur would do the same, and Blackshadow would probably shrink back at the very thought. And she_ needed_ a cat to go with her. If Silverleaf tried anything… she would need some help.

"Oh." Ebonypaw's ears flicked. Suddenly, a flash of alarm burst into Ebonypaw's emerald eyes, as she most likely remembered one of Silverleaf's earlier comments. "Rosethorn, you're not in love with Silverleaf are you?"

"Of course not!" Rosethorn meowed instantly.

She shivered, as she thought of Silverleaf's claws digging into her fur, and blood spewing out onto the SunningRocks around her…

She didn't love Silverleaf. She just couldn't bring herself to hate him, like Thorntail could.

Ebonypaw seemed comforted by her answer, and lifted her muzzle to sniff the air. Rosethorn did the same, though she was almost positive that they wouldn't find Silverleaf. They didn't.

"The moors are long, and you can see for a long-a-ways." Ebonypaw meowed thoughtfully, as she stopped with her sniffing of the air. "Why don't we go towards the first figure of a cat we see?"

Rosethorn shook her head. "We're in enemy territory," she pointed out softly. "We might pad right into an enemy patrol."

"Well, if Silverleaf is out of his camp, he's probably on a patrol anyways." Ebonypaw mused, and Rosethorn stared blankly at the black she-cat. Great StarClan, she was lucky to have Ebonypaw here. The apprentice had some common sense!

Rosethorn was about to commend Ebonypaw on her thoughtfulness, when a soft hiss entered the medicine cats' ears. Rosethorn's heart sank. They didn't find the patrol. The patrol found them. They hadn't noticed the cats stalk up to them because they were in their own territory – every WindClan scent was so foreign and strange, that she couldn't configure a moon-old-scent to a moment-old scent.

She flicked her sapphire eyes, to see the golden-brown WindClan deputy, Mapleleaf trotting towards them, along with the brown tabby that Rosethorn always seemed to run into, Rabbitfur, right beside her. Rosethorn stretched her neck out to see if there were any others, and was relieved to find that Mapleleaf and Rabbitfur had probably just been hunting as friends, it wasn't a border patrol.

"What are you doing on WindClan territory?" Mapleleaf asked curiously. Rosethorn was relieved to find that though the deputy's voice had a hard edge to it, it was hardly challenging, even though ThunderClan and WindClan had argued at the Gathering.

Ebonypaw stepped forward, her emerald eyes sparkled with amusement, and Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head. What long-winded excuse would Ebonypaw come up with?

The black apprentice dropped the Goldenrod at Mapleleaf's paws. "Rosethorn and I thought that Graycloud might be running low on this. It's for healing wounds… considering the times, and considering… Goldenrod doesn't grow well on WindClan territory I hear; we thought she might need it." Rosethorn blinked. Great StarClan, Ebonypaw could lie so well.

Mapleleaf still looked doubtful, but she didn't argue. She jerked her tail at Rabbitfur who had drawn her lips back into a snarl at the intruders, and then Mapleleaf kinked it towards the Goldenrod; a silent order to collect it.

While Rabbitfur collected the herbs at her paws, Ebonypaw seemed to decide to fish for information. "So…I hear a warrior, Silverleaf, got his warrior name?"

"Yes," Mapleleaf meowed stiffly, twisting to give her tawny-colored side a swift lick.

Rosethorn could do nothing but watch in sheer surprise, as Ebonypaw went on. "Silverleaf? If he's a tom, how come Timidstar gave him such a feminine name? If I had been leader, I would've named him Silverclaw, or Silverfang…or something."

Mapleleaf's yellow eyes narrowed into slits as she measured Ebonypaw up. Seeming to think that Ebonypaw wasn't implying an insult to Timidstar, she meowed, "Timidstar chose a name that she thought would suit him."

"Silverleaf? Does he have silver leaves spewing from his side?"

"No."

"Then, tell me, how does the name Silverleaf suit him? If I was a tom, and I was named Silverleaf, I think I would fling myself off the gorge to end my misery." Ebonypaw looked at her fur. "I mean, not only would I be a tom, but my fur is black, making the name make even less sense…"

Mapleleaf just looked annoyed at the apprentice, and appeared to want nothing more than to leave, and in fact, had turned away, but Rabbitfur let out a soft hiss, "Silverleaf is silver!"  
"Well, you can never tell by names anymore." Ebonypaw sighed, shaking her head. Rosethorn stared blankly at her apprentice. Ebonypaw was slowly but surely fishing information out of the two dumbfounded she-cats. So good at hiding her interests! How had Ebonypaw learned to do that? "I mean," Ebonypaw continued, "I met this ShadowClan cat at a Gathering once. Her name was Whitesky. She was a gray cat. Does that make sense to you?"

"No," Mapleleaf growled. "Now, thank you for the herbs, now kindly get off of our-" Ebonypaw cut the deputy off as if she hadn't heard her.

"I mean, look at all of our pelts." Rosethorn noticed that Ebonypaw was starting to stray from the subject, but decided it best to just let the cat ramble. "Rosethorn's name makes sense. Her pelt his scarlet, like a rose." She glanced playfully at her mentor, and then at Rabbitfur. "Your name's Rabbitfur, right? That makes sense, because you're a brown tabby. Your mother was obviously an intelligent cat to give her daughter a name that honors her fur. Yours was too, Mapleleaf." She added to the deputy quickly. "Maple leaves are often golden like your pelt. But Whitesky…for a gray cat? Was Whitesky's mother half-blind when naming her kit? I mean, Graysky, fine. Maybe even Silversky, I mean, hey, why not? But _White_sky?"

"Yes, we all agree that ShadowClan cats are mouse-brains." Rosethorn felt her heart twist, when she realized that Mapleleaf must be the brains of all of WindClan, and was beginning to get impatient. "That being said, we thank you for the goldenrod. Now get off of our territory."

"We can't." Ebonypaw hissed, impatience entering her voice. The two WindClan cats unsheathed their claws at her tone, and Ebonypaw added quickly, "Rosethorn and I…were exiled from our Clan…so we're going to some territory beyond HighStones."

The two WindClan she-cats stared at Ebonypaw blankly, unable to register her words. Rosethorn closed her eyes. Ebonypaw had strayed from their goal, and now it was up to her mentor to rescue her. "What Ebonypaw means…is…" Rosethorn drawled, "…Silverleaf was exiled from ThunderClan. And Ebonypaw and I were going up to HighStones to speak to StarClan about…Streamstar." Rosethorn cringed. As much as she spent time with Thorntail and Ebonypaw, their skills at lying had certainly not rubbed off.

"Speak to StarClan about Streamstar?" Mapleleaf echoed, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Why?"

While Rosethorn struggled for an answer, Ebonypaw burst out, "She died." Rosethorn snapped her head at the black she-cat, her eyes widening in horror, especially as Ebonypaw went on, "And so did her deputy, Sandpelt just two heart-beats later. We're going to ask StarClan who would be a suitable leader."

Even though everything Ebonypaw had said was a blatant lie, the WindClan cats seemed to have no trouble believing it. They bowed their heads, and seemed to be overtaken by grief. Mapleleaf mewed softly, "Streamstar was a fair and just leader. All the Clans will mourn her."

"Yes, yes, great leader, we're all sad she's dead, but she is. Now, Rosethorn and I have to go. Now. Bye." Ebonypaw pelted off, and Rosethorn hesitated for a moment before pounding after her.

"Ebonypaw that was a terrible lie!" Rosethorn hissed. "Medicine Cats _never_ lie, especially about our leader's death! When a Gathering comes up, what do you think will happen?"

"We disclaim ever having to have spoken to Mapleleaf and Rabbitfur." Ebonypaw meowed with a shrug of her shoulders. "Who do you think ThunderClan will believe? You and I, or some warriors from a rival Clan? And when we see them at a Gathering, tell them it was a misunderstanding, and blame on me. I'm a dimwitted apprentice, after all." Ebonypaw let out a purr of amusement, and side buy side, the two cats padded through the moors. A little while later, Ebonypaw let out a startled squeak, and her emerald eyes glittered.

"Silverleaf," she announced, flicking her tail. Rosethorn followed where her apprentice was pointing, and her eyes rested on Silverleaf. The _real _Silverleaf. He was lying on his side, licking his soft, kitten-like fur with a small pink tongue, and just a tail-length away from him was a yellow she-cat, with her belly round full of kits. Rosethorn assumed that this was Runningwhisker. Silverleaf's mate.

Rosethorn padded towards them calmly, comforted by Ebonypaw whose pelt brushed against hers. Though Silverleaf certainly noticed them first, with his leaf-green eyes burning into Rosethorn's pelt, somewhat hungrily, it was Runningwhisker who felt the need to mewl to her mate of intruders.

While Rosethorn and Silverleaf were in one another's presence for the first time since Rosethorn had confronted him in Spottedlight's old nest those few dawns ago, with leaf-green and iris-blue burning into one another, Ebonypaw distracted Runningwhisker.

"Runningwhisker," Rosethorn hardy heard Ebonypaw's soft mew. "I'm Ebonypaw, the medicine cat of ThunderClan. There is something important I must tell you about your kits." Runningwhisker leaped to her paws at that, possibly thinking that the black cat had a message from StarClan. From Ebonypaw's tone, Rosethorn certainly couldn't blame her. With that, the two cats bustled off, and Rosethorn's heart lurched as she realized that she and Silverleaf were alone. And it was Silverleaf's territory.

Their silence seemed to last for moons, before Rosethorn finally choked out, "How are you?"

She felt like a mouse-brain as soon as she said it. That was how a cat usually began a conversation with their Clanmates at Sunhigh when it was time to share tongues. Not when speaking with the cat who had tried to kill you.

However, Silverleaf didn't seem to think this odd at all. "Bored, but fine, I suppose." He meowed simply, swiping a pink tongue around his jaws. Rosethorn hesitated, but lowered herself down into a sitting position, as Silverleaf was just lying peacefully on his side. Instinct yowled at her to run. But she stayed rooted to her spot. Silverleaf seemed like he was quite comfortable, and wasn't in the mood to move for anything, much less a murder. "And you?"

Rosethorn shrugged her shoulders. "Um…I'm alive." It was something that Thorntail sometimes would say, but she noticed how ironic it was that she had said it as soon as the words escaped her lips.

"I see that." Silverwing yawned, his tone slightly sarcastic, and Rosethorn flinched as if she expected him to say 'I have to change that' or something similar, but he didn't.

"I um…I hear you're going to be a father soon." She nodded her head towards where Runningwhisker and Ebonypaw had wandered off. "So you found a mate to love, in WindClan…"

"Just because two cats happen to have mated, does not make them mates, and has nothing to do with love." Silverleaf snapped, before adding coldly, "You'd know that better than anyone, wouldn't you?" Rosethorn let a squeak of surprise. She had almost forgotten that Silverleaf was well aware of what Flamesoul had done to his apprentice.

Before Rosethorn could snap, Silverleaf went on, "Speaking of, did you confess to Thorntail?"

Rosethorn glanced around instinctively, to make sure no cat was in earshot, before mewing, "Yes…"

Understanding clouded into Silverleaf's leaf-green eyes, and he flicked his tail. "You seem happy. I suppose that means he took it well." Before Rosethorn could answer, he went on, "So you trekked all this way just to let me know that nothing will ever break the bond between you two, and Thorntail will never return the great warrior he once was?"

Rosethorn flinched at how close to the truth Silverwing came. But that wasn't the only reason. She remembered Thorntail's anxiety over being so similar to Silverwing, and she recalled how she had admitted to Thorntail the things that go on in her mind. "Thorntail told me the reason that he was afraid of you was because of how alike you two were." She meowed thoughtfully. Silverleaf's eyes narrowed into slits, and Rosethorn once again felt the feeling of terror run through every hair on her pelt. "Maybe that's why I'm afraid of you…" she murmured. "I feel like I finally understand after meeting you…that…you and I have something similar inside both of us. Something closed off and filled with darkness." The silver cat's ears pricked, as if intrigued, and Rosethorn looked down at her paws. "But Thorntail says that that's something that every creature carries inside themselves… from the tiniest spider to the mighty twoleg. Everyone…The difference happens when something sets it off. It could be an accident…or meeting someone." The image of Thorntail flashed in her mind. Meeting someone could have a big impact. "But…if that's the case, then someone turn back….and change…"

Silverleaf let out a raspy purr of amusement, and Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head. "How typical," Silverleaf purred, "You think that anyone who tries can be happy, yes? And do you really believe that? I thought you of all cats would know." Rosethorn felt a shiver crawl down her spine as Silverleaf continued. "You know happiness only exists off of the misery of others. The Four Clans are a perfect example. There is always one Clan suffering, while the other three flourish. And…like when you were being penetrated by Flamesoul." Rosethorn's heart started beating fast with fear at the very mention of his name. "The fact that your mate was your mentor, guaranteed ThunderClan's existence. If you had gone on, and accepted his advances, he never would've left ThunderClan. Flowertail and Onepaw wouldn't have died, and Streamstar wouldn't have gotten so sick. As well as when I was being protected from my Clanmates from Goldclaw. There's a fair amount of sacrifice necessary to maintain the front of happiness."

Rosethorn shook her head. That couldn't be true… Thorntail and she were both happy when they were together. "There has to be relationships that aren't like you just stated…"

"Like yours and Thorntail, where you lick each other's wounds?" Silverleaf questioned, flicking his tail dismissively. "Well, that's an illusion. Like your reflection in a pool. It's not really there. Or maybe when you have too much poppy seeds, that odd fluttering feeling. It's not real. Rosethorn, do you know why every leader has to strive to make sure that the forest is peaceful? It's because we, as a species, aren't kind, caring, peaceful creatures by nature. We love to kill; we love to see others suffer… It's what we are." Silverleaf let out a soft purr of amusement, possibly from seeing Rosethorn's horrified expression. "Relationships between us all began with cats controlling others, or cats being controlled. That's pretty much the Warrior Code that you blindly follow."

Rosethorn looked down at her paws, and Silverleaf twisted his head to look at something, before cursing softly under his breath. "I grow bored of having that silly over-sympathetic Graycloud follow me around everywhere." Rosethorn looked up, and saw a gray blur slithering across the moorland some distance away.

"I…I think I'm going to go find Ebonypaw and go…" she meowed softly, getting to her paws.

"I want you, Rosethorn." Rosethorn looked startled down at Silverleaf, whose gaze was burning into her pelt.

Rosethorn's fur prickled with fear, but she somehow held her ground. "Thorntail's my mate." She meowed coolly.

Silverleaf let out a soft hiss and Rosethorn half-expected him to leap to his paws and try to do something similar to what Flamesoul had done. He seemed to sense this, and he let out a purr of amusement. "I don't want to mate with you, without your permission, dear Rosethorn."

For some twisted reason, that gave her comfort.

"But Rosethorn, I think it best for you to know that is not all I hunger from you." Before she could ask what else, he went on, "I want your blood on my claws."

…

"Hey, Rosethorn!" Thorntail poked his muzzle into the medicine cat's den, before he slithered in. His whiskers twitched, as he noticed her sitting pristinely with her tail wrapped around her paws, as she stared blankly at some roots. "Mixing herbs?" he asked, padding over to her. She didn't answer, and Thorntail quickly assessed that something was wrong. "What?" he asked cheerfully, nudging her playfully in her side.

"It's not true…" she mumbled. "We love each other…so we're always happy."

"I know." Thorntail forced himself to purr, trying to chase away his worry for her, and cheer her up. In the end however, he couldn't fight it, and he asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

At this, Rosethorn seemed to force herself to perk up. "Thorntail, it's a beautiful night…and I'm sure tomorrow will be just as gorgeous. Maybe you could talk to Sandpelt and get her to take you and Blackshadow off of all the patrols… and then you, I, Applefur, and Blackshadow can all go hunting together…or something."

Thorntail stared blankly at her. "Why should we go with them?"

"It'll be fun together." Rosethorn pressed.

Thorntail snorted. Why did they have to take Applefur and Blackshadow? Why not be alone? He gave in, and growled, "Well um… where would we hunt?"

"How about by the Great Sycamore?"

Thorntail nodded blankly. That would probably be alright, he supposed. "Well, fine." He mumbled, scuffing his paws against the floor of the den. "I'll go talk to Sandpelt. Tomorrow, the day is ours. But I'm pretty sure I won't set paw into camp the next day. I'm on a lot of patrols tomorrow, and I'm going to owe a lot of cats favors…"

* * *

**Not very much a cliffhanger, I know, but...it opens up the next chapter perfectly. The next chapter has a little bit of fluff for Thorntail and Rosethorn...but I don't think you guys will like how it ends. **


	17. Chapter 16

**OH BOO-YEAH! I wrote it! Oh -dances- I'm so happy. I wish it was better though. It's not very fluffy, and my writing skills were...well... fourth-rate, I'd say. And the cliffhanger could've been better - written better. And well...it's a bad chapter, but I'm out of practice! -sniff- I hope most of my reviewers will come back... I'm sad. **

**Mapleleaf- You are awesome in every way, and forced me to write this. Good for you! YAY MAPLELEAF!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden - I love all your reviews. -huggles-**

**Blackpelt - You're the only reviewer who understands it. Silverleaf is crazed... He loves her as much as he hates her. I'm just not a good enough writer to make it so everyone gets that picture...alwell. You still get a cookie. -gives cookie- **

**Flamepelt's Wrath - Evidentally it is. Didn't you hear what Silverleaf said? xD **

**-sigh- This embarasses me...but I didn't try that hard. I was miserable...and really wanted to write..so I did. **

**Apologies for what you're about to read:**

**Sorry.**

* * *

_The earth under her paws felt as cold as ice as she pushed her way through the overwhelming darkness. Her scarlet pelt stood on end and she stumbled to a halt as she realized that no matter how far she padded, it seemed she wouldn't escape the surrounding blackness. Smelling her own fear scent, her aqua-irises flashed about, looking for a single scrap of light. Her heart tingled with warmth, as she laid her eyes on a glowing blue pool about a tail-length away. She tingled with embarrassment as she realized how close it had been. 'Why didn't I notice before?' she asked herself mutinously, before she trotted over to the source of light. Her whiskers twitched, as she leaned over to lap up a few drops of the liquid within the pool suddenly realizing how thirsty she was. But before her pink tongue to take in the water, the pool – and all the light it was emitting – was gone. _

_Surrounded by darkness once more, Rosethorn suddenly heard a cruel voice in her ear._

_'Happiness is all just an illusion.'_

_Ignoring that tidbit of information, she began to rapidly run in circles, thinking that maybe the pool would come back after a moment's time. It didn't. _

_Right when she was about to give up hope – call it a lost cause and go on about wandering in the bleak blackness that seemed to want to consume her – a spark flickered in the corner of her eye. The ThunderClan medicine cat turned her head slightly, and instantly felt her face warmed – or burned? – by a burning flame that was just a whisker's length away from her muzzle. _

_Fear rushed through every hair on her pelt. It was fire! Fire…she had never seen it in real life, but she knew from the stories how destructive the warm light was._

_Light. _

_However much it hurt her…it was light wasn't it? Light… it was better than darkness, right? Sure…it hurt a little. 'A lot,' she decided as an ember brushed against her side… But…_

_'There's a fair amount of sacrifice necessary to maintain the front of happiness…' Rosethorn let the words sink in, before it went on, 'Oh, and the sun's coming up. You should probably wake up now.' _

"What?" At the odd point added by the voice, Rosethorn couldn't help but exclaim her curiosity as her…eyes bolted open? She had been dreaming?

She didn't get to dwell on that thought long, however, as she stared into the emerald eyes of her apprentice, Ebonypaw, and…as… a terrible stench entered her nostrils.

Her dream the last thing on her mind now, Rosethorn couldn't help but wrinkle her nose and hiss, "Great StarClan, you stink!"

Ebonypaw shifted uncomfortably, and under her ginger fur Rosethorn flushed. She knew it was rude to point out, but before she could apologize, Ebonypaw muttered, "I fell into some fox-dung…"

"When? It smells fresh."

"Last night when I was out replenishing our supply of poppy seeds."

Rosethorn felt her fur prickle with suspicion. As much as she longed to trust Ebonypaw, her apprentice had openly admitted having a crush on a ShadowClan cat… "I never sent you to get any," she murmured thoughtfully, "And I'd never have you go in the middle of the night…and…" she let her eyes stray over to the large oak leaf that was filled with the tiny black seeds. "There certainly isn't a shortage…"

"Not anymore," Ebonypaw pointed out.

Rosethorn still felt suspicion clawing at her heart, but she couldn't call Ebonypaw on anything – everything in her apprentice's story made sense. "Well…be more careful from now on. You smell like a fox that's been dead for a whole moon." Rosethorn then proceeded to give herself her morning bath while trying to stomach the terrible stench of fox-dung and…

Roseethorn looked up from washing her fur, her whiskers twitching with curiosity. Ebonypaw smelled of fox-dung…and… what was that other smell? It smelled so familiar…and why did it remind her of Thorntail's scent when she was still getting to know him? It also reminded her of her early apprenticeship…

"Ebonypaw…" Rosethorn meowed carefully, narrowing her sapphire eyes into slits, "Why do you smell like you just-" her question was cut off by the black she-cat who piped up, "Anyways, I was talking to Blackshadow…so you, him, Applefur, and lil' Thorntail are going to be in each other's company all day?"

Rosethorn blinked, taken by surprise at Ebonypaw's sudden change of subject. "Originally we were going to hunt, but now we're doing all of our Clan duties. Replenish the herb stocks, look after Applefur's kits, patrol the ShadowClan border, train Morningpaw…" Rosethorn then forced herself to stutter out, "We're going to have fun…hey, when did you talk to Blackshadow?"

"He was guarding the camp when I came back from my poppy-seed expedition."

Rosethorn nodded blankly, and slowly got to her paws. "Right." She agreed. "Anyways, I should probably go collect them right now…I'd ask you to join us when we train Morningpaw…but…" she wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"Oh." Ebonypaw nodded blankly before parting her jaws into a yawn. "Well, I'm exhausted anyways. I think I'll take a quick nap before Beakpaw comes rushing in to tell me about his tail's evil ambitions…" she settled herself down into her mossy-nest, her eyes already half closed as she mumbled, "You know, the scent might fade by the time you four get around to training Morningpaw…maybe I could come?"

Rosethorn suddenly realized that though Ebonypaw had mastered most of the duties of a medicine cat – she knew the herbs by heart and as far as Rosethorn knew her apprentice could read signs from StarClan – but she had never taught Ebonypaw how to defend herself in battle, or catch a fat thrush. "I'm sure Morningpaw would appreciate your company."

Feeling that that ended the conversation, Rosethorn left Ebonypaw to her rest and slipped out of her den. She purred as the sun almost-instantly warmed her pelt and a soft breeze brushed against her whiskers. Now that all was said and done, Silverleaf and his theories seemed so far away. Why had she believed them? Of course happiness was real – and if she didn't believe it now, she was almost positive she would by the time the day was out.

"Swiftfoot, if I don't get Blazekit back in the time I could say 'mouse' then I'm going to be forced to claw your fur out and use it for kit bedding!"

Rosethorn padded towards the nursery, suddenly curious to as why Applefur was threatening the Clan's only elder right outside of the den where all the kits were most likely still sleeping. Though, she was pretty sure she knew – he stole Applefur's son, Blazekit – but she was still curious nonetheless.

"Good morning, Applefur." She purred, giving her furious friend a cheerful lick on the ear.

"Hello, Rosethorn." Applefur's voice was brisk, before she jerked her head towards Swiftfoot, who had his ears flat against his head and seemed to want to be anywhere but where he was. "Guess who stole my kit?"

"Swiftfoot?"

"Brilliant!" Applefur snorted. "Swiftfoot, where did you hide him?"

The former Clan deputy shrugged his shoulders. "Applefur, I didn't take your kit."

"And _I'm_ not going to kill you," Applefur meowed sarcastically, digging her claws into the earth beneath her. "Just tell me where Blazekit is, and I promise I'll make it a lot quicker and less painful!"

"I came to see_ my_ kits," Swiftfoot snarled, referring to Robinkit and Tiberkit, "And maybe steal them. But I haven't even brushed pelts with Blazekit since… yesterday."

"A likely story." Applefur retorted. She turned to Rosethorn, "Would you like to help me claw the truth out of him?"

Before Rosethorn could answer, Sandpelt came out of the nursery to aide her mate. The tawny-colored deputy settled herself down beside Swiftfoot, her two kits trailing behind her as she meowed, "Applefur, Swiftfoot usually steals about four kits at once. Why would he just steal one kit?"

Alarm suddenly spread through Applefur's eyes, and Rosethorn's heat ached for her. It would've been better if Swiftfoot had stolen Blazekit. If Swiftfoot hadn't done it, then Blazekit had either been taken by an intruder, a mimic of the elder, or, the kit had gone wandering by himself. All three were potentially dangerous and life-threatening to the poor flame-colored scrap of fur.

"Then where is he?" Applefur's voice was desperate. "Where is Blazekit?"

"When did you notice he was gone?" Rosethorn asked.

"When I woke up." Applefur sighed. "I saw my three little kits, and Hollowkit…but no Blazekit."

Rosethorn shuffled her paws. "Maybe a patrol should go out to look for him?" she meowed, staring at Sandpelt.

However, the Clan deputy still seemed to be trying to collect all the facts. "Hollowkit and your three kits? What about Iriskit?" Rosethorn had completely forgotten about Spottedstar's daughter.

"Iriskit didn't seem important at the time..." Applefur growled, curling her upper lip. "Yes, Iriskit is missing too… I suppose she might've forced Blazekit to come with her…"

"That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my entire life." Swiftfoot put in, shaking his head. "Blazekit is the biggest kit in the entire nursery now – he's almost the size of Beakpaw, in fact! I doubt a tiny little thing like Iriskit could force Blazekit to do anything, much less force him from camp."

"I'll organize a patrol to search for Iriskit and Blazekit then." Sandpelt mumbled, thoughtfully, her eyes scanning the camp for warriors.

"What's wrong?" in all the commotion, Rosethorn hadn't noticed Gingerpaw toddle to the scene, the apprentice Morningpaw right beside her.

"Hello, Morningpaw," Applefur meowed not acknowledging Gingerpaw's presence with even a flick of her tail. "Blazekit is gone…"

"So is Iriskit," Swiftfoot pointed out helpfully.

Rosethorn ignored the rest of the conversation then, and did the opposite of Applefur, and concerned herself with Gingerpaw and Gingerpaw alone. She hadn't ever really spoken to either of Silverleaf's kin that remained in the Clan – Twilightfur or Gingerpaw – and therefore hadn't ever really been able to acknowledge the similarities between them. Gingerpaw's face was almost a copy of Silverleaf's – thin muzzle, leaf-green eyes, pointed ears…and something about every feature had a feminine tinge about it. Gingerpaw pulled it off better, however, with her being a she-cat. But still… the main thing that separated the two cats' looks, were that Silverleaf had a pale silvery-gray pelt, while Gingerpaw resembled Blazekit – flame-colored.

Gingerpaw blinked curiously at her. "Why are you looking at me?"

"Sorry…" Rosethorn apologized, deliberately turning her attention to Sandpelt.

"Gingerpaw, Morningpaw, where are your mentors?" Sandpelt asked, probably thinking of the patrol.

"Shrewtail's patrolling the RiverClan border," Gingerpaw announced.

Morningpaw was a little more hesitant on answering. Finally she muttered, "I think Blackshadow's in the warrior's den trying to wake Thorntail up."

"Go get them," Sandpelt ordered instantly. "Morningpaw…Blackshadow…Thorntail…" Rosethorn knew that Sandpelt was naming the cats that she had chosen to go on the patrol. Either suddenly worried about Blazekit, or wanting to be with Thorntail – Rosethorn didn't know which it was – she suddenly cut Sandpelt off before the deputy could name another cat.

"I could go," Rosethorn offered.

For a moment, surprise flashed within Sandpelt's pale green orbs. Then suddenly she seemed to understand the logic. "Blackshadow, Thorntail, and Rosethorn…yes, I agree." Sandpelt nodded curtly. She stared at Rosethorn. "Just in case…" she trailed off after a soft hiss from Applefur, though Rosethorn could assume why Sandpelt agreed that the medicine cat would be useful in this mission.

Blackshadow suddenly padded to his mates' side, his eyes wide with terror for his son, while Thorntail toddled a few tail-lengths behind him still blinking the sleep from his eyes and Morningpaw followed the gray tom-cat, her tail flicking with glee as she realized she had been chosen to go on the mission.

Rosethorn's heart lurched as the young tortoiseshell gently touched her muzzle to Thorntail's side. The ThunderClan warrior's pale blue eyes rounded in confusion as he looked at Morningpaw – who seemed to quickly sense his confusion and meowed, "I'm worried about poor Blazekit for you. It would be terrible to lose the strongest kit in your litter!"

Rosethorn cringed, especially as Blackshadow literally dug his claws into the earth, possibly to hold himself back from pouring out the full truth to his apprentice: The Blazekit was _his_ son, not Thorntail's.

She had to give it to Blackshadow though; he was the leader of SelfControlClan. His amber eyes showed nothing but worry – which the Clan would assume was for his friend's kit…not his own – and his voice was calm and sprinkled with authority as he ordered his patrol to leave the camp that instant, and begin searching for the lost kit.

…

As soon as Thorntail's gray paws lay on the soft earth outside of camp, he parted his jaws to better pick up the scent of the two kits. It was instantly obvious that the kits had left on their own accord, and weren't stolen – their scents clearly stood alone.

That being discovered, the four cats quickly began to follow the scent trail. Thorntail felt a guilt feeling of disappointment that it was so simple. For some reason, he had been looking forward for something to challenge his skills as a warrior. It had been moons since he had been able to use his warrior skills to the fullest – the last time had been when Spottedlightstarthing was still alive. _Why is it that every time I think of her I feel nostalgic, _he thought somewhat ruefully. Silverleaf had been _annoying_, and had put some heavy burdens on his mentor's mind…but it hadn't really been a challenge to deal with him.

Thorntail shook these thoughts away. It was sick to hope that the kits would be harder to find. He wanted Blazekit and Iriskit to be just fine… Blazekit was Blackshadow's son, and he was pretty sure that his friend would have trouble bearing his grief silently… and Iriskit… Well, he could hope beyond hope that she'd end up like her mother, couldn't he?

His thoughts about how much blood he could spill if Iriskit grew to lead a coup against ThunderClan dissipated immediately as the scent of badger entered his nostrils.

Badgers and lost kits usually didn't mix well.

He felt a prickle crawl up his spine as he thought of what that could mean. He could just picture the big black-and-white creature looming over its latest prey – Iriskit and Blazekit, who lay bleeding right at its paws… The warm scarlet liquid all over Thorntail's claws… a feeling of triumph at murdering the fowl beast…

He quickly realized that his thoughts were just becoming more and more twisted as he went. _I should be concentrating on finding Iriskit and Blazekit before anything can happen to them, not thinking about avenging their deaths! …As fun as it sounds… _

Rosethorn's yowl of alarm shook him from his thoughts, and he followed her sapphire gaze down the Sandy Hollow – that he hadn't even noticed they had stumbled close to – to where… Iriskit and Blazekit were. Thorntail felt a flame of excitement as he noticed a badger lumbering towards them. Win-win. He got to murder a badger, and the kits got to live.

He ignored the fear scents that were rising around him – Iriskit and Blazekit's were nothing compared to their true father's – and pounded into the hollow.

Excitement was the only emotion that was running through his veins, as he more-or-less knocked Iriskit out of the way to measure up the monstrous creature in front of him. It was badger, to say the least. And though he hadn't dealt with many in his life, he was able to decipher that even for a badger, this one was big. It loomed over him by at least two mouth-lengths. Its beady little eyes – which reminded him so much of Badgerclaw's – blinked in surprise at the warrior's sudden appearance, and Thorntail was able to let out a chuckle as it literally stumbled back. _Big, but clumsy._

He was about to throw himself on it, when he saw a colorful blur fly past his vision and onto the badger – which Thorntail decided to name Biggs. He blinked, as he realized that Morningpaw had used the badger's distraction…which was Thorntail…and had successfully gotten onto its back. She dug her thorn-sharp teeth into its neck, and it let out an odd noise…Thorntail could hardly call it a yowl, but it was a loud, bothersome, sound.

Annoyed, Thorntail decided to claw viciously at the creature's big slumberous paws – while Blackshadow and Rosethorn combined their weight and barreled into its side.

It toppled over, and Thorntail felt a twinge of disappointment. Badgers were legendary and feared in every Clan for their fierce skills at fighting, and their murderous ways. But even a badger – even big one – couldn't handle the combined force of two ThunderClan warriors, a furious medicine cat, and a half-trained apprentice who – Thorntail didn't care what Blackshadow moaned about – was clearly a skilled fighter beginning to blossom.

Morningpaw squeaked, and got off of the fallen badger's back, her silver whiskers twitching in surprise as she snapped at Blackshadow and Rosethorn for not warning her about what they were going to do.

Thorntail padded over to Biggs, who was clearly having as much difficulty getting back up as Thorntail would trying to fly. Thorntail looked at Rosethorn curiously, "Do badgers die like cat do, if you bite them in the neck?"

"I don't see why they wouldn't…but…do you have to kill it? Couldn't we chase it out instead?"

Thorntail ignored her question, and instead asked, "What do badgers taste like?"

At this Blackshadow, who had padded over to the kits, hissed, "You mean you're thinking about eating it?!"

"I couldn't eat it all by myself! But it is big enough to feed the whole Clan…and even then we could probably share some with RiverClan."

Thorntail stared at the badger curiously. It struggled to get up once more, but toppled down. Thorntail noticed that two of its legs – where Thorntail had released his onslaught – were badly twisted. Probably broken. "If we don't kill it, it'll starve to death…and…I'm curious to what it tastes like."

No cat seemed to have any objections now. However, young Iriskit was looking at him like he had grown an extra head. Deciding to worry about that later, Thorntail dug his fangs into the badger's neck, the blood seeping into his mouth instantly. For some sick reason, he felt some amusement as the badger struggled vainly to escape its death…and admittedly, he liked the taste.

When he was sure that the badger had gone to BadgerClan, or wherever dead badgers went, he came back, his eyes sparkling with pride. "It tasted good," he admitted.

"Really?" Morningpaw asked her green eyes round with awe. She glanced at her mentor, who was still looking over the kits. "Blackshadow, can I have some?"

"You haven't hunted for the Clan yet, Morningpaw." Blackshadow mumbled.

"I don't think she'll have to," Thorntail pointed out. "This badger is plenty, even with big eaters like…well, me."

"We can discuss this later," Blackshadow sighed, before muttering, "Why you'd even think of eating a badger is beyond my understanding, however…" he backed away from the two kits, and loomed over them like they were fresh-kill. "Rosethorn, check to see if these two are alright."

Thorntail watched Rosethorn like she was as tasty as the badger, as she padded over and began to glance over the two kits. Why was it that even when doing the most mundane tasks, she was able to get Thorntail to long for her? "Frightened, but they'll live." She meowed calmly.

"If they were frightened by the badger, they will make rain where they stand when I'm through with them." Blackshadow snarled. "Great StarClan, Iriskit, Blazekit, what possessed you two to run off like this?"

Thorntail padded to his friend's side, and stared down at the kits curiously. Iriskit looked like she would've rather been killed by the badger than go through with this, and had her white head lowered to her tiny paws…while Blazekit's amber eyes stared right into his father's.

"Mommy yelled at Iriskit yesterday…and told her that she wasn't her mother and that all Iriskit do when she got older would be cause the Clan grief… Iriskit felt really bad…and I don't like seeing any of my littermates sad…so…so…so…" though Blazekit had started off strong, the piercing gaze that the large black warrior was giving him was clearly chipping away at his morale.

"Go on," Thorntail prompted, slightly amused by the fact that Blazekit believed Iriskit to be his sister.

"I led her away from the camp…so she could prove to the Clan that she would be loyal. It took me awhile to think of something, but I smelled badger…so we stalked it. We were going to kill it, and bring it back to camp to show mommy that her daughter would be a great, loyal, warrior one day!"

"Wait, you _looked _for the badger?" Morningpaw shook her head in disbelief. "Wow!"

"Thanks," Blazekit meowed cheekily. "And I want to eat some of it when we get back to camp – Iriskit and I found it. We would've killed it, if you hadn't come along…"

Rosethorn visibly stiffened. "It would've killed you!" she growled. "I thought it odd that a badger would go after something as big as you two…"

Thorntail glanced at Blackshadow, wondering why his friend hadn't put in his two sense in…then he realized that Blackshadow had been too flabbergasted to speak…until now. "Great StarClan, I didn't know you were such a mouse-brain, Blazekit!" He glanced at the white she-cat beside the flame-colored tom. "And you put Iriskit in danger as well!"

For the first time, Iriskit spoke, her voice a soft whimper, "H-H-Hey! I came on my own…Blazekit didn't force me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Blackshadow growled, curling his upper lip to show his fangs, "There are two kits here with thistledown for brains! I miscounted! Do you know how worried Applefur was? Do you think warriors don't have anything better to do then go looking for wandering kits?"

"What like hunt badgers?" Blazekit asked cheekily.

Blackshadow didn't answer that one, though he turned to Morningpaw. "You and I will take the badger back to camp, since Thorntail seems determined to eat it…"

"Thank you," Thorntail purred.

Blackshadow continued, "Iriskit and Blazekit can walk back to camp with us…and…that's it, isn't it? Unless we can to go stalk some Twolegs and eat them too…"

"With our combined force, we could do anything!" Morningpaw purred, as she trotted over to the dead badger. Thorntail noticed that she licked her lips before she began to pushed herself under the badger so she could carry it. He wasn't the only cat looking forward to the rare meal back at camp.

While Blackshadow padded to her aid, Thorntail turned his attention to Rosethorn who was watching them curiously. Sometimes, especially in times like this when her sweet scent was practically dancing around him, it was hard to resist the temptation to…well… Mount her, and mate. However, he knew that dream would never come true. Though the Warrior Code wouldn't have stopped him from taking Rosethorn to be his, he loved the scarlet she-cat too much to put her through…that much terror again.

She was looking around, and Thorntail could suddenly detect a fear-scent rising from her. "You okay, Rosethorn?" he asked.

"I thought I smelled…" she shook her head. "Never mind."

"Right then," Blackshadow meowed, struggling with the weight of the badger – forcing Thorntail to come to his aid – "Let's get back to camp."

…

Thorntail hesitated before entering the camp – something that nearly threw the badger off balance. He apologized, before asking Morningpaw and Blackshadow, "Do you think you two can get Biggs into camp without me? I want to talk to Rosethorn about my kits…"

It was a good excuse, because Blackshadow and Rosethorn understood it perfectly, Blazekit and Iriskit cringed in fear…something else that was oddly amusing, and Morningpaw didn't question it at all.

"I think so," Blackshadow meowed. "What about you, Morningpaw?"

The apprentice beamed. "Yup."

With that, the four cats – Blackshadow, Morningpaw, Iriskit and Blazekit slipped into camp…and Thorntail stifled a purr at the startled yowl from his Clanmates inside the camp at seeing a badger on the shoulders of the two cats.

Rosethorn turned to him once they were gone, her head cocked to one side with curiosity. "What is it?"

Thorntail hesitated for a moment, before changing the subject from his original intent, "...Uh…I'm sorry that your day was ruined. Blackshadow, Applefur…you…me…it could've been a lot of fun."

"I had fun," Rosethorn purred, her eyes sparkling. "Probably the most fun I've had in a long time… I mean, I was so happy when Iriskit and Blazekit were okay…and…I'm a little curious what the badger will taste like myself…Though life sometimes like a nightmare…we really were able to experience that happiness…"

"It tastes good," Thorntail assured her, deciding to ignore her little rant about happiness and instead just mention the badger. "Though I wish it was a little harder to kill… I've killed squirrels with more trouble."

"Those must've been some tough squirrels,"

"Squirrels are vicious creatures that attack without warning."

Rosethorn purred at his remark, "…When I ran into its side with Blackshadow…I felt like I really belonged. It's been a long time since I felt like that…"

"It's a nice feeling," Thorntail agreed.

The scarlet medicine cat nodded blankly, her eyes thoughtful. Thorntail once again felt the longing, especially as the sun decided to shed its golden light on her pelt. Why was StarClan so determined to tempt him? He knew he wanted to mate with her…and he knew how available she right now – with the Clan distracted – but he wasn't going to. Why was StarClan making things harder than they were?

"Don't you remember?" Rosethorn asked suddenly.

"Remember what?"

"You told me before that you never really felt like you belonged in ThunderClan…"

Thorntail hesitated before answering. He was doing that a lot. "…yeah," he agreed. "And to be honest, I still feel the same." Suddenly he realized how he could ease into this. However, before doing so, he looked around fiercely to make sure no pretty RiverClan she-cats would pop up and slash him across the face. No need to relive that experience.

Once he was sure it was private, he meowed, "You know…for awhile there, I actually contemplated joining RiverClan again. I'm pretty sure they would take me back… especially if I betrayed all ThunderClan secrets…" Rosethorn stared at him in horror, so he went on, "But now…I'm sure I'll stay in ThunderClan forever. Because you're here. And through you I actually have cats that I care about in this Clan…Ebonypaw, Applefur… And as previously mentioned, you." He gave her a quick lick on the ear, his fur bristling. Every time he made contact with her, he always felt like he was doing something really bad…exciting… Was it just because he was breaking the Warrior Code in doing so? Or something more?

"I never even dream of RiverClan anymore…because of you." He meowed softly. He burned his sapphire gaze into her own. "Because I love you."

Rosethorn's eyes widened, butterflies of joy fluttering behind them as she let out a rumbling purr. Thorntail intertwined his tail with hers; suddenly realizing that…besides that one time when he had been pretending to try to force himself on her…he had never told her that. "I love you, Rosethorn." He repeated.

She didn't answer, but, then, she didn't need to. Her reaction was good enough – like her visible shaking. She started to stutter about for words, which was rather cute, but she wasn't able to form anything together.

He briefly touched his nose to hers, his heart pounding quickly. He had been searching for excitement in a somewhat sick way earlier with that badger – even going as far as thinking of the kits dead, so he could feel the warm feeling of revenge - …but he knew that none of those feelings he had ever experienced before – from taking several of Runningstar's lives that one time, to the countless mates he had taken before…that was including the ones that were in other Clans… the excitement, the triumph, and the feeling that he was doing something wrong – were anything like this.

Rosethorn was finally able to form a word in her avalanche of noises. "Love…"

So she was having trouble making a sentence. That was good enough for him. He knew she loved him. And if she didn't…well…then that was okay too. If she never loved him, he would somehow get by. Because he was pretty sure, that he would never love another she-cat like he loved Rosethorn.

…

Thorntail had to resist looking at Rosethorn as they padded into camp together – he knew as soon as he did he wouldn't be able to tear his gaze away from her. However, he could hear her padding along with a joyous bounce in her step, which was rather humorous.

He glanced at the fresh-kill pile. The badger was there, alright. Several of the senior warriors were gathered around it, and seemed to be discussing whether or not they should eat it.

Before he could go over and prove to them that it was edible, he and Rosethorn were confronted by the Clan deputy, Sandpelt. He dipped his head in greeting, but she ignored it.

"Thorntail, I'm so glad that your kits are okay."

"Uh…I am too?" He wasn't sure how to answer that one.

Sandpelt stared blankly at him for a moment, blinking her eyes in confusion at his short answer. "Well…um…anyways, we're going to have to wait for Streamstar to get back before we choose a just punishment for Iriskit and Blazekit. Until then, they're at the mercy of Applefur."

Rosethorn blinked, clearly confused. "Where is Streamstar?"

Sandpelt hesitated for a moment before answering. "Well, she wanted to speak to you, Rosethorn. Apparently she's waiting for you up by the Great Sycamore."

"Oh, right. Should I go now?" Rosethorn's voice was genuinely confused, and Thorntail couldn't help but wonder what Streamstar needed to talk to her daughter in private for.

Sandpelt nodded blankly. "That would be best,"

Rosethorn nodded, and flashed Thorntail a curious glance. "Save me some badger?"

Thorntail nodded, a purr rising in his throat. "Sure," he purred.

While Rosethorn began to trudge out of camp, Thorntail began to pad towards the fresh-kill pile, curiosity still digging into him – what did badger taste like? It would certainly be something to brag about at Gatherings…eating a badger.

On the way, he caught notice of Rosethorn's den. His whiskers twitched, in surprise. Beakpaw, Aquapaw, Gingerpaw, Icepelt…and the two naughty kits who had runaway earlier (probably ordered by Applefur) seemed to be parting the fern tunnel of the den more, and adding more brambles and such. Curious, he trotted over to them.

"Icepelt," he meowed, naming the only warrior who was doing the particular duty. The white she-cat dropped the brambles she had grasped in her jaws, and padded over to him.

Once he was sure he had her attention, he asked, "What are you doing?"

Icepelt shrugged her shoulders. "Streamstar ordered us to expand the medicine cat's den. I don't know why…but Streamstar knows best, I suppose."

…

Rosethorn's heart was thudding so loud in her chest still, that she would've been surprise if it didn't scare away all the prey even in WindClan territory. Thorntail had actually…

She was nearing the Great Sycamore. She stopped for a moment, to regain her composure. She couldn't be air headed and thinking about Thorntail while speaking to her mother. Once she was fairly more calm…besides her beating heart…she sniffed the air. Streamstar…and…

Her warm fuzzy feelings died.

She shook it away. She was imagining things again.

She padded towards the tree, and felt a rush of relief. She saw her mother, sitting on her haunches right next to the trunk, her white fur resting gracefully on her thin frame, her eyes gleaming.

Rosethorn gave her mother a curt nod, before turning her head, unable to hide from the scent anymore.

She swore her heart stopped. She could recognize that lithe body. That flame-colored fur. Those cold emerald eyes…

She closed her eyes and shook her head violently. No, it couldn't be Flamesoul. It couldn't be… she saw him everywhere. It was just another illusion. Her mind was playing tricks on her. Surely he wouldn't be here, of all places anyways. Not with her mother. No.

She opened her eyes. Still there.

Flamesoul wasn't an illusion.

For the first time in moons, it was the real thing. The shadow that stalked her earlier moons of life had stolen her innocence…and had forced her to live in perpetual fear for…her whole life… Flamesoul, was…actually there, hardly two tail-lengths away.

* * *

**Oh, don't worry, Rosethorn flips out about it in the next chapter. Right now it's more shocking.**

**Yes, Thorntail finally said the three magic words.**

**Um...if you review, you'll get an...Iriskit plushie! YAY IRISKIT!**


	18. Chapter 17

_**NOTE TO CURIOUS SCROLLERS: WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT READ THE LAST LINE OF THIS FIC! IT WILL RUIN IT! DO NOT READ THE LAST SENTENCE! (Of course, now I told you not to, I know you will.) JUST READ UNTIL YOU GET THERE! MMKAY?** _

**Remember how I said before, that if I didn't get the other chapter out in time, I'd make it up to you? Well, this chapter is 16 pages long. I hope it does the trick. Anyways, one day I'll definately rewrite this one...and get the emotions and stuff better, but right now...I can't. Anyways... **

**Pazoink - That's that I thought as I was writing it! I don't have anything planned, but that could be really, really, CUTE! IriskitxBlazekit. Hrm. **

**Daklotles85- You've discovered a case of badproofreaderidis. :) (By the way, I think I mention the 'r' word in here once. But you know...I can only allude it so many times, 'ya know?) **

**Oceanwind- No, that was fanfiction's problem. You just had to wait fifteen minutes, and it fixed itself. I KNOW! Annoying, huh? All well. That's life. **

**Spottedmoon - No, they did not mate. He just declared his love for her. I think he loves her too much to even try, now...because we all know what happens when he tries to claim her as his own, yes? **

**Watersoul - You know, I have considered the pairing you mentioned. I might hint at it once or twice, but I don't think an 'official' relationship between Streamy and the one who...we'll call...The Evil One will ever be established.**

**Anyways, remember when I told you guys that by the time this fic is over you'd hate Streamstar? HERE 'YA GO LADDIES!**

**Oh, and by the way, this chapter starts out as a crudely written flashback, to when Rosepaw and Flamesoul had a normal apprentice-mentor relationship. You'll get a LOT of freaky implications about Flamesoul's obsession with her, and it does end with the prelude to...you know... BUT NEVER FEAR! I don't write smut! So you don't need to worry! Anyways, I think I mentioned ONCE that Rosethorn spoke to StarClan ONCE. I'm almost positive, but not sure. Well, either way, she mentions that meeting in the flashback. And...you know...after the flashback, I think you'll hate Flamesoul more then you guys already do. oO Hrm. **

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy this 16 page chapter. I had planned it to be ten, but I'm a bad editor! YAY! (Oh, by the way...Blackshadow mentioned once that his mentor's name was Grasswhisper. That's who the she-cat mentioned in the flashback is. I doubt any of you would remember that one time thing (when they were talking about quirky mentors), so I felt the need to remind you. **

**Enjoy, **

* * *

_Rosepaw's sapphire eyes gazed critically at the brown tabby's paw, looking for the puncture the thorn had dealt into it just a few dawns before. Her heart literally flew in her chest, as she realized… there was _no_ puncture. She had actually healed a wound! The only words she were able to stutter out were, "I fixed it!" _

_The brown tabby's whiskers twitched with curiosity, before Grasswhisper meowed, "So it's better? I don't need to worry about infection anymore?" _

_Rosepaw hesitated for a moment. Did she have the right to say such a thing? She was just a medicine cat apprentice, after all. Wouldn't her mentor, Flamesoul, know best? Flamesoul was the greatest medicine cat in the entire forest. Shadedhope couldn't even compare – nor could Blueherb or Icesong. _

I'm being mentored by the best, _she thought cheerfully, before she meowed to Blackpaw's mentor in answer to her question, "I don't know…I think I should ask Flamesoul…" _

_"It's fine, Grasswhisper." Rosepaw looked up, startled by the sound of her mentor's voice. When had Flamesoul entered the fern tunnel of the den? Did it matter? _

_"Hello, Flamesoul." She purred in a sing-song voice. _

_Flamesoul turned his attention away from the senior warrior, and gazed meaningfully into Rosepaw's sapphire eyes. "Rosepaw, Grasswhisper's wound is all better, thanks to you. You are a magnificent apprentice. Just as I thought you would be." _

_At her mentor's praise (even if it was a little extreme), Rosepaw pressed her muzzle against his side affectionately, feeling an overwhelming feeling of protection and comfort in his muscular namesake flame-colored pelt. Her heart leaped in her chest, as he gently touched her flank with her tail as he told Grasswhisper that she didn't need to worry, and that she could go back to training Blackpaw. _

_"Just watch out for thorns," Flamesoul advised quickly as Grasswhisper hurried out of the den in a somewhat mad rush. Once the brown tabby was out of ear shot, Flamesoul rolled his emerald eyes, which made Rosepaw purr in amusement, before he meowed, "Warriors. Mouse-brains, every single one of them. Obsessed with spilling one another's blood, and training others to do the same." _

_"Mouse-brains," Rosepaw agreed flicking her tail in agreement. She removed her muzzle from Flamesoul's side, and padded over towards the herb stocks, and did a routine check with her eyes – like she had been told to do every night before she went to sleep. "We're short on thyme," she observed._

_"And what do we do with thyme?" she heard her mentor ask. _

_Rosepaw turned back towards him, as she wracked her brain. "Um…doesn't it ease anxiety?" _

_Flamesoul's eyes literally lit up with amazement and pride twirled in her heart once more. She had impressed him again! "You're such an intelligent she-cat, Rosepaw!" _

_She shuffled her paws, trying to feign modesty. "No I'm not…" she mumbled. _

_"But you are," Flamesoul pressed. "Your father would be proud. Speaking of, you spoke to him at HighStones today, didn't you? Did he say anything to you?" _

_Rosepaw hesitated before answering. Yes, her father, Crimsonspirit had been the StarClan warrior that had spoke to her for the first meeting with StarClan. But what he had said had been so peculiar… _That's what Flamesoul's here for. _She reminded herself, briskly. _He's supposed to help me figure out weird things. _"My Father warned me that though fire can look bright, and kind, if you get to close to it, it'll burn you." She blinked. "Flamesoul, do you think he's referring to Firepelt in WindClan?" _

_Her mentor nodded, his eyes still lit up with what Rosepaw believed to be pride. "I think you are right," he purred. "You're a brilliant medicine cat, Rosepaw, and will always be my precious, intelligent apprentice." _

_Rosepaw felt the urge to correct him, "Until I get my full name." _

_"Until you get your full name," Flamesoul agreed. "But in my eyes, you'll always be _my _precious." _

_Rosepaw nodded sheepishly. She didn't know why Flamesoul lavished compliments on her so much. At first, she had thought all mentors did so to their apprentices…but then she saw Badgerclaw make fun of Applepaw, and Grasswhisper openly insult Blackpaw who, apparently 'couldn't catch a squirrel if it leaped into his paws.' Then she had assumed that it was a bond that a medicine cat shard with their mentor…but then… Icesong never showed so much affection for her apprentice, Heartpaw, either. _

_Flamesoul seemed to guess what she was thinking, because he meowed, "There's nothing to criticize you about, beautiful, intelligent, Rosepaw." _

_Her fur tingled with the compliment. "Thank you, Flamesoul." She meowed. He gave her a vigorous nod, and she jerked her scarlet head towards her nest. "I think I'm going to go to sleep now," she told him. "That way, when I wake up in the morning, I can go out and get the thyme right away." _

_As she padded to her nest, Flamesoul went on speaking, his tone light and cheerful. "So thoughtful, Rosepaw. You know, every day it becomes even more obvious how much different you are from all the other mouse-brained she-cats in the Clan. They whine and worry about clawing their enemy's fur off, but then they do nothing to reach their goal. Swapping positions on patrols just to put it off as long as they can…gossiping about their own Clanmates… and having absolutely no forethought. None of them are as intelligent, beautiful, or kindhearted as you are, Rosepaw." _

_Rosepaw curled up in her nest, and fluttered her eyes closed. "Thank you, Flamesoul." She mumbled. _

_Flamesoul continued, "You were always so aloof in the nursery – avoiding playing those fool hearted kit games. You were never selfish…it was obvious you'd sacrifice your own life for another. It's an admirable trait… All those things caught my eye. It was almost as if StarClan yowled out from above that you would be the perfect one for me, Rosepaw." _

_"I think I'm a good apprentice too, but I think I could do better." Rosepaw mumbled, shifting position to get more comfortable. _

_"And so humble, too!" Flamesoul purred. Rosepaw couldn't see him since her eyes were closed, but she noticed that the voice was closer to her nest from before. "My apprentice, Rosepaw. You and your perfect self will always belong to me…" _

_Rosepaw was starting to get annoyed with her mentor. "I'm trying to sleep," she announced. _

_"And you'll get to," Flamesoul promised. "But first, Rosepaw, there's something you and I must do. It's something every medicine cat apprentice and their mentor goes through, you see." _

_Rosepaw thought for a moment. What could that be? She knew about HighStones and all of that…but what else was there? She slowly got to her paws, to go through with whatever ceremony was about to go on, but Flamesoul flicked his tail, and told her that she was fine before. _

_"Now, this is going to hurt a little bit." He told her softly. "But don't struggle too much – or make any noise. It's a secret ceremony, so if any cat in the Clan sees or hears what's going on, you'll never be a true medicine cat, and then you'll let your father down. You don't want to let Crimsonspirit down, do you?" _

_"Of course not!" Rosepaw squeaked. She hesitated for a moment, before asking, "But…um…what is this thing we are going to do together?" _

_Flamesoul's emerald eyes glistened, and Rosepaw couldn't understand why, but his fur was bristling. "Just follow my lead, Rosepaw. Follow my lead, and don't make a sound. If you do, one of our Clanmates might hear, and then the secret will be out, won't it? Medicine cats are sworn to secrecy – you know all about that. So keep quiet, don't struggle…no matter how much it hurts, and everything will be okay. Mmkay?" _

…

Rosethorn's mouth rounded into a gape, as the reality hit her: Flamesoul was _real_.

Terror seized every hair on her pelt, and without orders, her legs started to visibly shake.

She backed away a few pawsteps from her former mentor, and when she spoke, her voice was shaking as much as her legs. "Fl-Fl…Flame…soul…" Her heart started to pound in her chest. She thought that both Streamstar and Flamesoul could hear it.

"Rosethorn," Flamesoul meowed, his voice sounding to Rosethorn like a stone being thrown on ice. His emerald eyes were soft as he gazed at her – and it sent shivers down Rosethorn's spine. How many times had he looked at her like that before having his way with her?

As he began to pad towards her, Rosethorn could imagine nothing but him forcing himself on her again. Memories flooded through her…Rosepaw's terrified yowls, the pain, the unbearable shame… "G-Get away!" she ordered, stumbling backwards, and clumsily toppling over to her side.

"Rosethorn," Flamesoul meowed softly, as he loomed over her.

What had it Thorntail told her before? About being afraid? If you look scared cats try to use that to their advantage…or something?

Rosethorn tried to follow his advice, and snarl up at Flamesoul, but she failed miserably, and instead broke out into a crescendo of uncontrollable sobs. It was going to happen again! All over again! Her apprenticeship was happening again!

"Rosethorn," Flamesoul meowed softly, but she cut him off.

"I…I…I…said….g-get away from me, Fl-fl-fl-flaamsooul," she snarled, between sobs while she realized she could smell her own fear scent.

Flamesoul looked at her blankly for a moment, and Rosethorn assumed he was contemplating on some game he could play with her – he had so seemed to love twisted little mating games – but instead of going through with them, he lowered himself down to Rosethorn's height (which was low considering she had fallen over) and he meowed softly, "Forgive me."

Rosethorn was still trying to get over her shock, while Flamesoul went on, "I…I was in the wrong, Rosethorn. I had no right to do any of those…things to you… And I am not worthy to even be in your presence again…but…when I heard about the outbreak of The Blood, and all the traitors, and then Greencough and your mother's illness…along with ShadowClan's threats…" he shook his head violently. "I couldn't just stand by and let my Clan…my _old_ Clan," he corrected himself, "be destroyed. But… I couldn't bear to face _you." _His emerald eyes – his cursed emerald eyes that liked always burned into hers – in the past, and in her nightmares – were deliberately not meeting hers, as she stared disbelieving at him. Especially as he continued, "I promise by StarClan I won't do anything like that again. Please. Please, forgive me."

…

The three cats slowly sat on their haunches in the Sycamore Tree's shadow, one pelt scarlet like a rose, another's pelt orange like a flaming ember, and the last one – the one who sat between them, and the only one of the three who actually sat with her head held high as a leader was used to, had a pelt of powdery snow.

Rosethorn herself felt limp. Frail, as she tried to accept these whirlwind of events. But how could she? Just a few tail-lengths away…just beside her own mother, her closest kin, was the tom that had forced himself on her more times than she could count. And the tom who had actually asked for forgiveness for doing so. If Silverleaf had apologized for trying to murder her, she probably would forgiven him. She _had_ forgiven Applefur. She would've forgiven Flamesoul if all he had done was try to send her to StarClan. But he hadn't. What he had done was hand her all these dreams of grandeur of being a medicine cat who walks with StarClan, gain her trust, her loyalty, her honest-to-goodness _love _like a daughter loves her father… And then… revealed to a cat that was hardly older than a kit what it was like to…hate.

Silverleaf's words came to mind. _Happiness is an illusion. _

The more she thought about it, the more the crazed tom's words made sense.

She tried her best to somehow regain her composure, but every time she glanced at Flamesoul she felt like a kitten again. A terrified kit. She tried to reach the feeling she had felt earlier – Thorntail's declaration of love. Those fluttery, warm feelings of happiness… But as hard as she tried, she could only bring up the feelings about Flamesoul's declarations of the same thing. The place she had just been with Thorntail now seemed so far. As far away as the moon or sun.

There was silence for a few more heartbeats, and the ThunderClan leader's aqua eyes were thoughtful, as she tried to explain why Flamesoul was in their presence. "When I first got sick with Greencough…and collapsed…remember? I had been hunting with Sandpelt?" Rosethorn nodded blankly at the memory, her senses becoming numb as she realized that Streamstar was trying to condone Flamesoul. However, she could remember the incident. She had been walking back to camp from overhearing a disturbing conversation between Silverleaf and Thorntail, when the deputy found her and told her about Streamstar. "When Sandpelt had run off to find you, Flamesoul came to my aid…he seemed like a warrior sent from StarClan. He gave me catnip and such and healed me…"

Rosethorn's emotions twisted and leapt around, possibly causing her internal bleeding. Had Streamstar just compared Flamesoul to a warrior in StarClan?

_Rosepaw! Did I, or did I not tell you to be quiet and not struggle? Do you want the whole Clan to hear us, you useless lump of fur? Do you have any idea what they'll do to you if they find out? What you've done is wrong, Rosepaw, and you should be ashamed of yourself! You claim to want to honor your father, but yet to disgrace him any chance you get! I wouldn't be surprised if Crimsonspirit just disowned you, after that charade! Next time when I tell you to do something, like keep your mouth shut and sit still; I want you to do it! _

Rosethorn felt her claws dig into the earth under her as she recalled Flamesoul's tirade after her after the first incident. Not only had Flamesoul forced himself on her, but then he had dug it into her brain that she, as the victim, had been the one in the wrong by yowling and struggling! Even bringing up Crimsonspirit, and saying that he had probably forgotten all of his love for his daughter! Even if she forgot all of the times she had been penetrated – and she tried. StarClan knew she tried – Flamesoul was still unforgivable for saying such cruel things to her, while twisting around her sense of right and wrong!

She hated him! She glared over Streamstar at Flamesoul, as she flexed her claws and imagined digging them into his pelt like she had so many times in her dreams. _What's the most painful, humiliating way to die? _

Either way, Rosethorn decided as she shook her thoughts of murdering Flamesoul away (she couldn't do that. Yet.), Flamesoul was far from a StarClan warrior!

Suddenly Flamesoul leveled his cold green gaze with her blue, and the pure terror of the past, present, and future forced her to look away back at her mother.

"Flamesoul bowed his head over and over, and apologized…" Streamstar went on, sounding as careful as a obese cat padding across thin ice. She dug her sapphire eyes into Rosethorn's – the eyes that she had given to her daughter - and meowed, "He asked if…we could give it another try…With him being the medicine cat."

_Give it another try… _Rosethorn wanted to yowl out that that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard…but for some reason, she suddenly felt too weak to do so. Like an apprentice being scolded by her leader…for some reason she couldn't bring herself to do anything.

However, she knew – especially as she looked at Flamesoul again – that she could not live with Flamesoul in the camp. Every time she looked at him, she was flooded with memories, and fears of the future. And every time she looked at him, she felt a powerful urge to rip out his throat and then feed his corpse to Thorntail and tell her mate that it was a funny-looking badger… But she knew if she tried to act on her thoughts, she'd probably choke up in the middle, and being a terrified sobbing mess. Times like these she wished Silverleaf was right – and every cat did have it in them to kill whoever they wished, without feeling any fear.

She stared mutinously at Streamstar after weighing the possibilities in her head. If she let Flamesoul back in the Clan…what would stop him from falling back into his old ways? Rosethorn was bigger now, but she couldn't even stare at the ginger tom without her muscles stiffening and fear overwhelming her like a tidal wave (only when looking away did she have the courage to hate him)…she would probably be too terrified to do anything if…if…if…he…

"That is…" Streamstar meowed, possibly sensing her daughter's discomfort, "After we consider your feelings about the matter."

_Never! _

Rosethorn heard the word yowling in her ear, and was about to voice it, when she saw Streamstar's expression. Her eyes were haunted, and seemed to be begging Rosethorn to make the right decision.

Why did Streamstar feel that way?

Then Rosethorn remembered.

"Flamesoul was the cat who cured you." Rosethorn meowed absentmindedly, overwhelmed with guilt as the realization actually hit her. Flamesoul had cured Streamstar. It hadn't been Rosethorn, or Ebonypaw. But Flamesoul. And of all the cats that had got sick with Greencough…besides Petalkit and Streamstar…none had survived. Flamesoul was one for one, while Rosethorn and Ebonypaw – two medicine cats – were one for three.

Suddenly she remembered something. Back when The Blood was still ravaging about. Rosethorn had been alerted to the ThornTail herb by a… _Flame-colored cat. _

It hadn't been Rosethorn who had saved her leader's life, and the lives of countless other cats in all four Clans. It had been _Flamesoul – _albeit indirectly!

Flamesoul had saved Streamstar, the Clan, the Forest…who else had he saved without Rosethorn's knowing? How many could he have stopped from dying if he had stayed? Remembering Onepaw and Flowertail, the two cats she couldn't cure, Rosethorn felt a powerful sense of inadequacy.

Streamstar looked at her pitifully for a moment, before sighing, "…I had to accept his help… He is a fine medicine cat…we can't deny that. And it won't be too hard to get him back in the Clan. I never formally exiled him…and I had the medicine cat's den enlarged so there will be room for all three of you…" Streamstar added quickly, and Rosethorn stared at her blankly. Streamstar had planned this out awfully well. She had every detail mapped out. Almost as if… she _expected_ Flamesoul to rejoin the Clan.

Rosethorn's anger at her mother faded, when she noticed how much her mother was shaking. And she could imagine why. Streamstar had never looked so pitiful, with her fur bedraggled, her eyes of that that had been hunted for moons, and her limbs shaking like leaves in the breeze.

"Flamesoul came to see me almost every day. He really was worried about me," Streamstar mewed softly, her tail curling at the thought. "He told me not to tell you, and to hide his scent with my own…to protect you."

Rosethorn didn't know how to accept this all. Any time she looked at Flamesoul she felt weak, and defenseless, and whenever she looked away from him she felt powerful, and hateful… This was the cat who raped her, for StarClan's sake! And now, Streamstar was just going to invite him into the Clan and…

Every cat Rosethorn had lost blared in her mind. The brown tabby, Turtlefeather the mother of Ebonypaw, Aquapaw, and Morningpaw. Because of Rosethorn's pitiful skills as a medicine cat, she never even got to see her daughters become apprentices. Scarface. The skilled daughter of Robinwing, one of the most threatening warriors in the forest – killed By The Blood. Foxpaw, Cheerypaw, Runningpaw…all three apprentices could've become something great if their lives hadn't been cut short. Heatherpelt, Blindeye, Brownear…the Clan elders. Their wisdom could've helped many cats if they had lives just another moon or so. Gingerleaf, Frostfang…a powerful duo of she-cats. Flowertail…Blackshadow's mother. Onepaw, a lively apprentice until killed by Greencough…

How could Rosethorn claim to be a good medicine cat, and claim to be able to hold her Clan together, with so many deaths hanging over her head?

_You know, happiness only exists off of the misery of others, _

Rosethorn's eyes widened as she thought of Silverleaf's words to her.

_The fact that your mate was your mentor, guaranteed ThunderClan's existence. If you had gone on, an accepted his advances, he never would've left ThunderClan. Flowertail and Onepaw wouldn't have died and Streamstar wouldn't have gotten so sick…There's a fair amount of sacrifice necessary to maintain the front of happiness. _

Rosethorn weighed the possibilities in her head. She still felt terror and fear at the thought of once again acknowledging Flamesoul as a Clanmate. But…if Flamesoul didn't return…how many cats would die? What with ShadowClan's threats, and the like, it was likely there would be more deaths on her conscience very soon. Except maybe they would be more than just Clanmates. Maybe friends, like Ebonypaw, Applefur, or Blackshadow… Or Thorntail. For some reason, the thought of losing Thorntail was much greater than her fear of Flamesoul. _He did promise never to do anything like that again…and I am bigger now…I could put up more resistance, _she lied to herself, as guilt chipped away at her defenses. She knew none of what she told herself was true…but… _Besides, I have Thorntail now. Thorntail will stand by my side through anything…I could survive anything as long as I have Thorntail. _

"To be honest, ThunderClan is starting to reach its limit." Streamstar sighed. "Rosethorn, your training…was fine from the other medicine cats, but you mainly know the herbs and their uses. You don't have the knowledge of the positions they should rest in and that sort of thing." More guilt flooded in. It was all her fault Flowertail and Onepaw had died. If she had just kept her mouth shut… Flamesoul could've taught her everything…and nobody would've died. He could've cured The Blood long before half of the Clan died… he could've saved so many lives… No cat could deny that his skills at medicines were legendary. And with a mediocre medicine cat – Rosethorn – teaching an apprentice…all Ebonypaw would do would be become a mediocre medicine cat who would train mediocre medicine cats, and that would be how it would for forever. Cats would flood into StarClan, and hiss obscenities at Rosethorn as soon as they saw her if they realized that her selfish decision from when she had been alive – even if it was as much as ten generations back – had brought about their deaths. "And now, with the threat of ShadowClan… ThunderClan can't go on without a strong medicine cat." Streamstar had just named everything Rosethorn had been thinking to herself.

Rosethorn suddenly found her mind wandering to Thorntail, just after they had helped build the den for the two kits. _If something gets ruined, like that nest, you just rebuild it. And we'll build one after that one gets destroyed. We'll build them forever. As long as you're willing, Rosethorn, I'll build as many as you want. Let's build them together. _

The principle was beautiful. Together, they would get through this too…

_Thorntail… _

…

Thorntail looked around the camp, his whiskers twitching with worry. The moon was already starting to rise in the sky…and still Rosethorn hadn't returned. It was starting to get hard to chase away hungry cats from the Biggs the badger. Everyone wanted to eat some – except for Blackshadow and Shrewtail who both found the idea disgusting. (Badgerclaw had almost agreed with them, but after some coaxing from his mate, Twilightfur, he ate more than any cat.)

He rolled what was left of the badger toward him, and placed a firm paw on it. It was for Rosethorn, and if he had to, he would become a traitor to the Clan and murder any cat who said otherwise. And if perchance some cat got past his defenses and ate it anyway, he would go out and catch her another one. Rosethorn wanted badger. She was going to get badger, even if it killed him.

"There he is, Morningpaw, just go over and talk to him!"

Thorntail's ears pricked and he turned his head slightly to see the two sisters, Aquapaw and Morningpaw arguing in hushed tones over by the apprentices den. They kept looking at him.

_They want Rosethorn's badger! _

He unsheathed his claws. Nobody was eating that badger but Rosethorn. Or maybe himself, if he got hungry enough.

He let out a threatening hiss, as the two apprentices padded towards him. They both flinched, but then settled themselves down right next to him.

Aquapaw gently poked Morningpaw in the side with her claw, as if she wanted her sister to say something.

"If you want the badger, you're not getting it. Rosethorn gave me a direct order to save some for her." Thorntail was actually finding it fun to chase off any cat that came close. He was starting to doubt that the Clan was_ that_ obsessed with the badger, and he supposed that some of his Clanmates had just wanted to talk to him… But it was fun guarding things! _Sandpelt should put me on guard duty more often, _

"No…we don't want the badger." Aquapaw assured him, flicking her bluish-gray tail dismissively. "This is Morningpaw." She meowed nodding at her sister.

"I know all of my Clanmates." Thorntail pointed out.

Aquapaw nodded vigorously, and hissed softly to her tortoiseshell sister, "Quick! Now's your chance! Ask him!"

"Once again, you're not getting the badger."

Morningpaw stared blankly at him for a moment, before she finally meowed, "I want to go on a hunting patrol with you tomorrow…sun-high… I'm training with Blackshadow until then."

Thorntail's whiskers twitched at how cute that was. Morningpaw had a crush on him!

"I…I know you have a mate, and…four kits…but I've liked you awhile…and…well…" Morningpaw shuffled her paws.

Thorntail let out a rumbling purr of amusement. "How cute." He chuckled, giving Morningpaw a quick lick on the forehead. Her eyes rounded with amazement, and he gazed playfully at her. "Okay, a hunting patrol. That sounds like fun."

For a moment, the two sisters seemed to disbelief his words, and turned to each other in awe.

Thorntail rolled his eyes, and swiped his tongue around his jaws before answering, "It's just a hunting patrol. It's not like I'm giving you my heart."

…

Applefur cursed under her breath, as she slipped into the newly-enlarged medicine cat den. When she found Baykit, she'd kill her. Why was it that kits had to imitate what others did? Just because Blazekit and Iriskit went on an adventure, didn't mean that every single kitten in the litter had to pad off!

_At least she stayed in camp, _Applefur thought as she sniffed the air for her daughter.

She looked around the tunnel of ferns curiously, her eyes scanning every shadow for her kit. Baykit was in the den somewhere. The little scrap hadn't been taught how to conceal her scent yet.

She gently poked her muzzle into a large indented rock at the end of the fern tunnel. She knew that this was Rosethorn's den – as the full medicine cat of the Clan. Her whiskers twitched with surprise, as she noticed Ebonypaw lying lazily on her side in Rosethorn's nest – with Morningpaw and Aquapaw lying just next to her. And what little kit was Ebonypaw gently caressing with her tongue as if she had gave birth to the naughty little scrap? But Baykit!

She was about to call out, but decided against it as she overheard the conversation the three sisters were having.

"It's just like Icepelt told me," Aquapaw sighed, shaking her head disdainfully as she took a miniature bite out of the vole the three apprentices seemed to be sharing. "Thorntail used to run around and take more mates than I'm sure he could even keep track of…but he's been with Applefur for…" she glanced at Ebonypaw. "How long?"

Ebonypaw's swiped her pink tongue that she had been using to lick Baykit around her jaws, before she answered, "Since a little before leaf-bare began, I think."

"And its Newleaf now…" Aquapaw mused, looking at Morningpaw. "Nothing is going to tear Applefur and him apart. I guess she won him over because she was the only cat in the forest to have his kits."

"That we know of." Ebonypaw pointed out.

"That we know of." Aquapaw agreed.

Applefur had to stifle a chuckle. Great StarClan, even the youngest of cats seemed to think that they were actually mates. Were they good at acting, or what?

"But you know…" Aquapaw continued, "You never really see them alone together. I mean, there are always Applefur, Thorntail, Blackshadow, and Rosethorn… But never just Applefur and Thorntail."

_Maybe I was giving myself too much credit… _

"That's not true," Ebonypaw meowed softly, her green eyes now focused completely on washing Baykit's fur…making Applefur wonder if her daughter had gotten into something she shouldn't have. "They usually leave the camp together at night, alone. I don't need StarClan to tell me what they are doing."

Morningpaw and Aquapaw let out amused purrs, while Applefur stiffened. She and Thorntail never did anything like that. She knew Ebonypaw was lying to keep the cover up…but…she was eerily good at it. Like she had loads of practice.

"But still," Aquapaw meowed, giving Morningpaw a quick lick on the ear, "it's really good that you at least spoke to him. He's really…handsome up close."

"Isn't he?" Morningpaw asked, as she rolled onto her back and started to purr.

_Thistles and thorns, the Thorntail disease is beginning to spread to the next generation._

Applefur shook herself. If she kept listening in, she'd have nightmares. She didn't need to think about the disease that was Thorntail and his…irresistible cuteness…infecting the Clan!

She slipped into the den – and as soon as she did, the three gossiping apprentices instantly were silenced. Applefur ignored that fact, and glanced at Baykit, who was dozing peacefully in Ebonypaw's paws. "There you are," she mumbled, stepping over Aquapaw to reach her kit. She briefly touched noses with her, before grasping Baykit's scruff in her jaws, and backing up a few pawsteps, before putting Baykit on the ground again, and asking, "Did Baykit get into anything? You were washing her…and I'm worried that… "

Ebonypaw's looked at Applefur for the first time, and the queen suddenly noticed how distracted the expression she wore was. "Baykit didn't get into anything. I found her wandering the camp, and I felt…a sudden…instinct to bathe her, like she was my own kit…"

"Oh." Applefur blinked, confused. Why was Ebonypaw acting so weird? "Alright then…bye, you three….no, wait," she shook her head, and deciding to ask the question that nearly every single cat in the Clan was asking. "Why was this den expanded?"

Ebonypaw shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I came back from meeathering herbs, and saw Aquapaw and Morningpaw working on it…and then I was ordered to…but nobody told us why we were expanding it."

Applefur nodded. So even one of the dwellers were completely confused about it. "I'll ask Rosethorn about it when she gets back from meeting Streamstar." She decided, before scooping up Baykit, and slipping out of the den.

…

Rosethorn flinched at Applefur's furious tone, as they stepped out of the nursery together, the sun of the new day shimmering on their identical crimson pelts. "You're not serious, Rosethorn! Streamstar asked you about your opinion about letting Flamesoul rejoin the Clan, and you are _fine_ with it?"

"I'm not _fine _with it," Rosethorn admitted, shifting uncomfortably as she thought of huddling in her nest as an apprentice, while Flamesoul slept peacefully in his own…feeling so frightened and confused as she tried to figure out what Flamesoul had just done to her. She had been so young, she hadn't even known!

"But…didn't Streamstar exile him?" Applefur pressed. "You know the whole 'If we ever see you in our territory after sun-high, ThunderClan warriors have my permission to kill you' thing?"

Rosethorn recalled the fluke of Flamesoul's that had gotten himself found out. He had forgotten that cats could come into the medicine cat's den at any time…and when Streamstar came in with a complaint of a stomach ache and laid eyes on what he was doing to her daughter... There was a lot of flying claws. "He was never officially exiled," she remembered. "Streamstar chased him out herself, _literally_, using her teeth and claws. There were no words mixed."

Her friend was silent for a moment, probably weighing the facts in her head. "And you're okay with this?" Applefur growled. "Having that _thing_ in the Clan again?"

Rosethorn shook her head. How could she? She knew better than any cat why she hated Flamesoul. But… everything Streamstar and Silverleaf had said before was right. Happiness branched off of others misery…and to have happiness, you have to sacrifice something. ThunderClan would thrive for many more generations, no more cats would die under Rosethorn's watch...in exchange for…having Flamesoul back in the Clan. _He did promise to not do anything like that again, _she reminded herself…but she couldn't help but wonder if she was just trying to trick herself into believing in that promise.

"Besides," Rosethorn went on, "The Warrior Code says that the safety of the Clan in a whole is more important than just one of the Clan members. Flamesoul ensures ThunderClan's survival."

Applefur clearly wanted to argue, but every cat in any of the Clans knew the Warrior Code by heart. According to the code that every cat in the forest was bound to, Rosethorn was making the right decision. _In the eyes of StarClan, I suppose, Flamesoul is the one who's right, and being unselfish in returning to the Clan…_Sometimes Rosethorn wondered why StarClan had eyes, if they weren't going to look much deeper than the outside.

"Well, I can't argue with that." Applefur admitted, looking helplessly at her paws. "But I'm sure Thorntail would. Have you told him yet?"

Rosethorn hesitated for a moment. She had been putting that particular duty off. She could only imagine his reaction if she told him. Thorntail had very kittish qualities about him – that was part of his charm. He was cute, funny, curious, and creative (as the badger incident the day before proved) but, like most kits, he could have temper tantrums, and waves of fury coming out from the hairs on his pelt. But he usually understood things if Rosethorn could put it in terms that made sense….

"No…" she sighed in answer to Applefur's question.. "I have to make him understand…and he will, but only if I say it right."

"And Hollowstar descended from StarClan and told me where to find a flying hedgehog in your ear!" Applefur meowed sarcastically. "Rosethorn, no matter how you say it, Thorntail is going to be mad. Rightfully so, too."

Rosethorn wracked her brain for the right words. None of them worked. Applefur was right. There was no way to tell Thorntail about it, without him getting angry. "Yeah." She agreed. "But what can I do?"

Suddenly, a light lit up behind Applefur's blue eyes, and Rosethorn instantly knew that her friend had come up with an idea. "Rosethorn, tell me…when will Streamstar announce Flamesoul's…"

"She said around Sundown…that way everyone will be more tired, and more willing to believe any lie she throws at them – and much more accepting of anything, as long as they can rest… At least that's what she told me."

"And Thorntail's ShadowClan border patrol will probably end a little before Sun High… so we have a little bit of time to think things through…"

"Like what to say." Rosethorn agreed.

Applefur shook her head, to Rosethorn's surprise. "Nope. Not what to say, but who will say it with us. And who better to tell our gray friend then Blackshadow?"

Rosethorn tried to understand Applefur's reasoning on that one, but came up with nothing.

"_Think_, Rosethorn. Blackshadow's a tom, for one thing, so he'll probably understand where Thorntail's coming from more…but he's also my mate, so if he says something mouse-brained, he can expect me to personally claw his ears of later. And he and Thorntail have been friends for a long time… If Thorntail is about to go crazy, Blackshadow will be able to do something."

…

"Are you two completely out of your minds? Of course I won't be able to do something!"

Rosethorn cringed at Blackshadow's slightly hysteric tone. The night-colored tom on guard duty paced back and forth around the Gorse Tunnel, shaking his head violently. "You just can't leave something like that up to me!" Blackshadow snarled, giving his mate and friend a mutinous amber glare. "There are some things I just can't do!"

Applefur snorted. "Blackshadow, stop being such a weak little kit! I have enough of them to deal with all day, without you!"

Blackshadow ignored her, and went on with his pacing. "And if Thorntail gets mad, I can't exactly say I wouldn't understand. Put yourselves in his situation! The she-cat you love, literally sleeping in the same den as…as…a piece of _fox-dung_ like that!"

Rosethorn deliberately looked away. "It's for the good of the Clan," she mumbled, trying to convince herself as much as Blackshadow.

"Even if that's true, which I don't think it is," Blackshadow put in, narrowing his eyes into slits, "Are you really okay with this? Can you really sleep in the same den, live in the same camp as Flamesoul? This isn't going to be a one-or-two moon thing; you are going to see him every day for the rest of your life. You're okay with that?"

Rosethorn struggled for an answer. No, she wanted to yowl; she was not okay with it! How could she consider the ember-coated tom one of her Clanmates, and respect him as her superior when she despised and was terrified of him? But…

"…I don't want cats like Flowertail to die under my watch, and not be able to do anything about it."

At her mention of the black tom's mother, Blackshadow flinched. Finally, he meowed, "Flowertail's death was not your fault. StarClan called her, Rosethorn…"

"Only because a half-trained medicine cat was looking after her, and she probably would've died much more painfully if they didn't, so they took her in the quickest way possible! Besides…" Rosethorn glanced at Applefur for support, "I'm not an apprentice anymore, when all I could do is cry and be afraid. And he promised he would never do anything like that again…" _Rosethorn, do you honestly believe that?! …no… But… _

Blackshadow examined her for a moment, his amber eyes serious, before he shook his head. "Fine. If you're okay with it, I can't think of an argument. But if he so much as looks at Baykit or Petalkit funny," he growled naming his daughters, "he's crowfood. That I swear by StarClan. He'll be crowfood."

"If I had been Streamstar, and I _thought _a tom was doing that to _my_ daughter, I would've killed him first and asked questions later." Applefur agreed, flexing her claws at the thought.

Blackshadow nodded, approving at Applefur's reaction, before he turned his attention back to Rosethorn, a serious air about him. "Either way, I don't want to cause Thorntail any pain…Rosethorn, you know…my sons? Blazekit and Nightkit? Sometimes Thorntail reminds me of them. Especially when he purrs…" Blackshadow flicked his tail to make a point. "I wouldn't want Blazekit or Nightkit to be unhappy, and I feel the same about Thorntail."

…

"And you really have no clue?" Thorntail pressed Icepelt, as the two cats slipped under the undergrowth for a quick shortcut back to camp from the ShadowClan border. "You were expanding the medicine cat's den, and you honestly have no idea why you did it?"

"None whatsoever." Icepelt mused thoughtfully, her white fur puffing up as she searched her mind. "Maybe Streamstar's preparing for more sick cats?"

"Maybe…but that's sort of ominous…" Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. It was sad when the Clan had no gossip except that of dens being expanded. Though, he was almost positive there might be snippets about him…but every cat in the forest seemed to take note of his every action, so what was new about that? It was just as annoying…

…

"Okay, right," Blackshadow settled himself down, as Beakpaw, Badgerclaw, and Shrewtail brushed past him to exit the Gorse Tunnel. Rosethorn sat on her haunches, her fur just touching Applefur's. For some reason, that contact gave her some comfort. "I think that you two are right, and we should tell him _before _Streamstar brings Flamesoul and announces to the Clan that he's the new medicine cat…"

"Right," Applefur mumbled. "But before we go on, Rosethorn, I just thought of something." Rosethorn pricked her ears. "What about Ebonypaw?"

Rosethorn hadn't thought about that. Who knew if Flamesoul just had an obsession with her? For all she knew, she had just been one cat in a long list of victims that he had thrown himself at. Ebonypaw was a really pretty she-cat… her heart thudded with worry. "I'll have to keep a close eye on them both." She decided firmly. There was really nothing else she could do.

"You should…but that's not what I meant." Applefur's gaze was serious. "There can't be more then to medicine cats in the Clan, right? Flamesoul would technically be your mentor, so that makes you the apprentice…but where does Ebonypaw fit?"

"I don't think Streamstar will force her to train as a warrior," Rosethorn pointed out, slightly relieved that the conversation had gone to a slightly happier note. "I'm sure she'll become a full medicine cat who walks in the ways of StarClan, like she always dreamed."

Blackshadow grunted in agreement, before he went back to trying to figure out how to tell Thorntail. "I don't think we should just throw it up at him. How about I mention it to him…and see how he reacts?"

"See how who reacts about what?"

Rosethorn stiffened, as she saw Thorntail's stony-gray fur out of the corner of her eye as he slipped from the Gorse Tunnel, with Icepelt by his side. Though, the white warrior didn't seem to care who was reacting about what, and instantly went over to speak to Twilightfur on the far edges of the camp.

Thorntail settled himself down beside Blackshadow – the two she-cats and the two toms facing one another. "Are you three saying mean things about me behind my back?" Thorntail asked jokingly, as he began to lick the fur on his chest.

"No, of course not…" Blackshadow mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

Thorntail looked up from his washing, and stared at Blackshadow for a moment, and then at Applefur, who Rosethorn noticed was playing with some leaf on the ground like a kit. Then Thorntail looked at her, and she blinked self consciously. "Why are you all acting so nervous?" he asked. "Are you hiding something from me?"

"Yes we are," Blackshadow meowed honestly, while at the same time Applefur assured him with a loud, "Of course not!"

Thorntail looked at them for a moment, shaking his head. "CrazyClanmates." He muttered sarcastically. "Anyways, I'm hungry. Is anyone else hungry?"

"Yes," Applefur meowed, while Blackshadow hissed, "No, none of us are hungry."

Rosethorn cringed, as she saw Thorntail's eyes flick suspiciously from the queen to the warrior for a moment, before he asked, "What in the name of StarClan is wrong with you two? All well. Anyways, Rosethorn," he narrowed his eyes as he looked at her, and Rosethorn blinked in surprise. What did he know? "Do you know why they are expanding the medicine cat's den?"

There was no way to hide the truth now. Thorntail had brought the subject right towards Flamesoul, unknowingly or not. She opened her mouth to spill out the truth, but before she could, Blackshadow burst out, "How did you know about that?"

Thorntail flicked his ears. "I have eyes, so I saw it." He pointed out. "And A bunch of our Clanmates are confused about it too…Nobody can understand the reasoning behind it."

"Um…we needed more room…" Rosethorn mumbled, but as soon as the words escaped her mouth she wanted to claw her own eyes out. Why was she avoiding the truth?

Thorntail looked at her curiously. "Why?"

Rosethorn hesitated for a moment, before she answered – with words she had to literally rip out of her own throat – "…Flamesoul's going to rejoin the Clan as the medicine cat."

An eerie silence fell around the four cats, and Rosethorn dug her claws into the ground, comparing it to the silence before the storm. But she eased up, when she saw Thorntail calmly washing his ears. "I'm sorry," he meowed honestly, "Could you say that again? I thought you said something, well, weird."

Rosethorn guessed that he had heard the truth, but couldn't believe that she would actually condone it. "Flamesoul's going to rejoin the Clan as the medicine cat." She repeated.

Thorntail's eyes almost instantly lit up with blue fire, and Rosethorn cringed as she realized how still he was sitting – not even a single piece of fur moved. Besides his claws, which he was sheathing and unsheathing as if he imagined digging them into Flamesoul's fur.

Blackshadow tried to come to the rescue. "Well, you see, Thorntail, Flamesoul was never officially exiled and…"

Thorntail cut him off with a flick of his tail, while not taking his eyes off Rosethorn. "Go away." He ordered.

"Thorntail…" Applefur meowed softly, but before she could continue the gray cat interrupted her with a fierce growl.

"I said go away!" he narrowed his eyes. "I need to talk to Rosethorn about this."

Blackshadow and Applefur exchanged worried glances, but finally seemed to accept that the matter was out of their paws, and scurried away – though Rosethorn could feel their gazes burning into her fur from whatever position they had taken in the camp to eavesdrop.

Rosethorn had expected Thorntail to instantly start off with a crescendo of yowls of fury, and curses to the sky, but he hardly moved. His eyes were glued to her, and she realized he was waiting for her. For some reason, the fact that Thorntail was acting to quiet and calm made it his anger seem all the more noticeable.

"Thorntail…" she began, "Please don't be mad. The Clan isn't exactly in the best shape it's ever been in…and with ShadowClan's threats and all…we need a good medicine cat to lean on."

"What are you?" Thorntail practically spat the words at her.

"I'm a medicine cat, but I'm not the greatest." Rosethorn mewed softly. "Let's face it, I've been distracted…and….I could've cared for this Clan better."

"Distracted? Flamesoul seemed to get distracted just as much as you, except he padded after little apprentices." Thorntail's voice was icily calm. "And I don't really think ThunderClan is in that bad of shape."

"Our numbers decrease every moon…" Rosethorn pointed out softly, and Thorntail couldn't find an argument with that one.

"How long have you known about this? Flamesoul?"

"Since…last night." Rosethorn admitted, flinching away from his cold gaze. It was the exact opposite of the way he had looked at her the night before, when he had told her that he loved her.

"And why didn't you tell me?" Thorntail asked after a few moments of silence.

This, Rosethorn could answer truthfully. "I didn't know how. I thought you'd be mad."

"Yes, I'm mad!" Thorntail hissed furiously, digging his gaze into hers. "Rosethorn, have you forgotten how he's hurt you? Have you forgotten what he's done to you?!"

_Flamesoul, Flamesoul, please…stop it…stop it, Flamesoul…stop it…stop it…Stop it. STOP IT! FLAMESOUL! _

Rosethorn started to rock back and forth at the memories, but was somehow able to mew, "He promised to never do anything like that again…"

Thorntail regarded her for a moment, his gaze judging her like she was a piece of prey that he was deciding whether to eat or not, before he asked softly, "And you honestly believe that load of fox-dung?" he shook his head, and his voice grew to the point of a yowl as he continued, "The kinds of cats who've done that sort of thing will do it again! I guarantee you!" several cats in the Camp turned to look at them, but if Thorntail noticed or cared, he gave no reaction. His voice was softer now, as if he had just run all the way to HighStones and back, and was begging her to get him some water. "Rosethorn, please, listen to me. I have an idea. Maybe this is a sign of some sort?" Rosethorn pricked her ears. "We can run away together. We can leave this Clan, and all the restraints of the Warrior Code, and live together for the rest of our lives. We can finally love each other without having to keep it a secret."

Rosethorn looked at him in horror. Thorntail was asking her to leave the Clan – the cats she had grown up with, and had grown to love. She could never…she could never leave ThunderClan, and miss out on seeing Ebonypaw become the greatest medicine cat ever, seeing Applefur's kits grow into warriors, never see Blackshadow argue with Morningpaw… And she needed a Clan! That was just the way she was. A Clan wrapped its members with safety and such…

Thorntail seemed to guess what she was thinking, because he meowed, "If you're thinking that you need a Clan to survive…you and me…we could join RiverClan." Rosethorn looked at him, startled, and he went on. "I'm pretty sure they would take me back…I still have a lot of friends there. And they'd accept you to, with time. And we could be mates there…every cat would know and acknowledge it…we wouldn't have to hide, and we wouldn't have to worry about Flamesoul."

Rosethorn stared at him. She knew Thorntail had had torn loyalties, but she had never seen them demonstrated so much. Thorntail was openly asking her to leave her Clan, and join a rival one! "Impossible." She growled. "I'd never betray my Clan and Streamstar like that. I can't be that selfish!"

"Selfish?" Thorntail echoed, "Rosethorn, didn't your mother betray you when she invited Flamesoul to join her? Wasn't your mother selfish when she sacrificed her own daughter just so she wouldn't be remembered as the leader who killed more cats in her reign then any other?"

Rosethorn spat crossly. "Why do you have to look for an ulterior motive in everything? She's doing the best for her Clan!"

"She's doing the best for her reputation! Streamstar doesn't give two mouse-tails about you, so I doubt she gives even a piece of mouse-dung about the Clan! She was probably named deputy, and then became leader by some fluke!"

"Don't talk about my mother like that!" Rosethorn hissed, her hackles rising. "She's the closest kin I have, besides Iriskit and Hollowkit…and that's a distant relation…" she thought for a moment. "Besides…" she meowed softly, realizing she had to convince Thorntail to see things her way or… "The Warrior Code says that…"

Thorntail cut her off with a furious hiss. "Oh? The Warrior Code? Oh, we better listen to that. Because you and I, yeah, we follow the Warrior Code every day and hold it in the highest regard, don't we? We never met cats in enemy Clans, we've never lied to our superiors, and we've_ never_ had any forbidden loves, have we?" he shook his head. "Don't you dare use that as an excuse! We listen to the Warrior Code about as much as we take orders from the ShadowClan deputy!"

Rosethorn tried again, her voice soft and strained as she threw out any possible thing to convince Thorntail. "Thorntail…it wasn't like Flamesoul was all bad. There was a time when he was a good mentor and…well, I want to give him another chance for the sake of the Clan."

"Fox-dung!" Thorntail swore, leaping to his paws and swiping the air with his claws.

"Thorntail…" Rosethorn slowly got to her paws, and tried to meet his furious gaze. "Thorntail, please calm down…" in an attempt to calm the mighty warrior, she gently touched his flank with her tail.

"Don't touch me!" Thorntail roared leaping back from her, his eyes wild. Rosethorn flinched at his furious tone, and hardly even noticed the curious gazes the cats in the camp were giving them.

When Thorntail spoke again, his voice was eerily calm. "Fine, Rosethorn. You stay in ThunderClan, Flamesoul joins the Clan…fine. I'm okay with it. I won't argue, or make a fuss. But do me a favor."

Hope flooded in Rosethorn's chest. "Anything." She promised.

"Don't call me your mate ever again." With that, the huge gray warrior got to his paws, and stalked off.

* * *

**Thorntail explains his reasoning on his separating from her later...but anyways...**

**OH NO! ROSETHORN AND THORNTAIL HAVE FINALLY... -cries- I'm sad. Especially since I could've wrote that scene better. But I'm not good at rewriting things just hours after I write them. It takes me five weeks to get around to it. We don't want to take that road again, do we? No.**

**Anyways, if you review, I'll give you...Oh, look, Aquapaw was briefly mentioned. Did I give a plushie out of her, yet? I dunno. Anyways, if you review, not only will you get an Aquapaw plushie, but somewhere out there, two lovers will get back together. If you don't, somewhere out there two lovers will break up. Yeah, I'm cold. Review, or you will ruin a certain couple's life!** **(Oh shush, I'm kidding. Maybe.) **


	19. Chapter 18

**Anyways...**

**Long wait, huh?**

**Well, let me tell you something...weird. I went on a magic journey to a theme park...and uh...I didn't really have much warning. My parents announced late at night - almost before we left - leaving me and my sister to try and figure out if they were joking or not.**

**They weren't.**

**So that's where I was, riding on rollercoasters, and playing what I want to have happen in my story in my head over and over again while I waited in line. **

**Anyways...**

**I don't like this chapter. At all. Nor do I like the cliffhanger. At all. I don't like the POV's I chose. At all. You get the point.**

**Strangefur- Guess who's answering your review? Go on, guess. Guess! Oh, why it's Tigerstar's Innocence! I rememered! Oh yeah! I'm happy! Anyways no, they never did officially 'break up' before. Their relationship was 70 of the time on the rocks, however. But this time, they did separate. As...yeah.**

**Oceanwind - Are you serious? Because if you are, I'd tell you anything you wanted to know... **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- You figured it out even before Ebonypaw and Rosethorn put the pieces together! YAY! Here, have a cookie! -gives cookie- And though I don't think Silverleaf will ever be mentioned in THIS story again, in the third and last one of the trilogy, he becomes quite the nuisance once more. I promise. And EbonypawxMarshclaw...oh, look for implications!**

**Catgurl2004 - -hugs- I know you like, said a lot of lies there, but they are flattering lies, and I accept them! YAY!**

**Daklotles85- I think you'll figure it out in this chapter what is wrong with Ebonypaw. Of course I don't come out and say it, I think I drop one or two hints. Anyways, as Applefur said, all Baykit did was follow in her brother's pawsteps and wander off. I just needed a reason to get Applefur in the medicine cat's den...that's all. **

**Anyways...um... we get some Rosethorn and Flamesoul interaction (good or bad, I won't tell) in the next few chapters, but I don't think there is any in this one... all well. **

**And lots of your predicitons were right on the money. I won't say what they were, or who they belonged to...but I'm happy that some people picked them up, because they shows that I'm FINALLY learning the art of foreshadowing! OH YEAH! -claps hands- I knew writing fanfiction would help me improve my skills as a writer...if not by much...**

**Anyways, enjoy. **

* * *

"Don't call me your mate ever again,"

The gray warrior's voice was as cold as the frostiest of all Leaf-bares, and Rosethorn felt her blood turn to ice. She tried to ignore the pounding worry that was rushing through her, and searched the warrior's azure eyes for…any scrap of uncertainty, or maybe…doubt that he was doing the right thing…

She found none of that. Thorntail's blue eyes showed exactly what the ThunderClan warrior felt: He was dead serious about what he had said…and any doubts he were having were_ probably_ of his common sense in getting close to her in the first place.

She opened her mouth, to try and tell him…tell him…_something_. What could she say that would make him understand? She loved Thorntail…but she loved ThunderClan too! But if she was actually able to tell him that, it was inaudible above her own breathing.

Her heart broke in two, when Thorntail rose to his paws, and turned to leave. Before she could call out to him, he slipped through the Gorse Tunnel and exited the camp.

She felt her world crash around her, and for a moment she was mouse-brained enough to actually wonder why! _Because your mate, your love, your best friend, your soul mate, is rejecting you! Why else? _

Rosethorn hardly heard Blackshadow's surprised squeak, or noticed when the ebony-colored tom cat rushed out of camp to follow his ashen-pelted friend. Her mind,, for about to heartbeats, went blank. When she was able to regain some sense of self, all she was able to think about was Thorntail… and his promise, those many moons ago.

_I'll protect you, _

She rested her sapphire eyes on the tunnel that Thorntail had disappeared out of, shaking her head in disbelief. She needed him to protect her now, more then ever! The main reason she had allowed Flamesoul to rejoin the Clan was because she thought Thorntail would remain by her side!

But…now Thorntail was gone. And it was all her fault! In the end, she had chosen Flamesoul, the tom who had haunted her dreams, ruined her ambitions of being a medicine cat, the piece of fox-dung that had forced himself on her…over Thorntail who…who she _loved_. Thorntail…the cat who had seemed like the tom she would hate the most, had become the cat she would love more then anything. She should've been afraid of him when she was an apprentice…but she couldn't. Because it was him, she had opened herself up to him, and had gained Blackshadow and Applefur as friends…

But he was gone now.

Rosethorn couldn't hold it in anymore. She felt her legs buckle under her, and she felt to the earth, her head clogging against the ground under her – but she hardly noticed the pain. It was nothing compared to the badgers that were ripping her insides out…

She felt Applefur's soft tongue against her ear, and heard her friend's unusually soft, comforting voice.

Rosethorn dug her face into Applefur's flank, while her own sides panted heavily between the sobs. "It's my fault…" she mumbled. "It's because of me that Thorntail…"

"No it's not," Applefur murmured softly, and Rosethorn felt the queen's tail wrap firmly around her shoulders. "…Thorntail will come to his senses soon. Blackshadow's will snap some sense into him…"

"No he won't!" Rosethorn spat. "I've hurt him too deeply…"

"Thorntail's a strong cat, Rosethorn. It'll be fine." Rosethorn could picture Applefur look around suspiciously, before she meowed, "We should probably…go into your den…it's more private there."

…

"Thorntail," Blackshadow let out a soft hiss, as he realized that his friend was still padding along, as if he wasn't being stalked by another warrior. "Thorntail!" he cried out again – this time stopping the big gray cat in his tracks.

Thorntail turned around to look at him, and Blackshadow flinched at how wild his eyes were…and how much his fur was bristling.

"Thorntail, you have to calm down." Blackshadow advised, regaining his composure to trot over to him.

Thorntail spat crossly at the earth, and looked at it mutinously for a moment as if all his problems were the ground's fault, before he leveled his sapphire gaze with Blackshadow's amber, and growled, "I can't." he deliberately looked away. "I can't believe she's actually holding onto a Clan like this…"

"'A Clan like this'?" Blackshadow echoed. "You mean ThunderClan? Your Clan?" his pelt prickled, as he realized the treachery that was sprinkled on top of Thorntail's words. "That's traitorous thinking…" he decided to drop that subject, and dutifully carry out Applefur's order to stick Thorntail's sanity back in him. "Thorntail…I understand why you're mad, but you have to understand: ThunderClan is Rosethorn's birth Clan. This is where she was born, raised, and this is where her kin is!"

Thorntail lashed his tail. "This is where she was raped, and this is where her rapist is going to reside! And her kin, the great, mighty, _noble_ leader Streamstar is the one who is giving Rosethorn to Flamesoul! How can she hold onto ThunderClan like this?"

Blackshadow felt his paws prickle. Was it treacherous to agree with Thorntail?

He shook the thought away, and meowed, "You asked Rosethorn to leave ThunderClan, Thorntail. I heard you. If she did that, and joined the ranks of RiverClan as you suggested…what would she have there? She'd be all alone!"

Thorntail's fur bristled even more now, and he dug his silver claws into the ground, and he swung his head back to face Blackshadow before he snapped, "I'm alone too!" His eyes flashed blue fire, before he looked away again, and mumbled; "Weren't you supposed to be training Morningpaw right now, anyways?"

Blackshadow was caught off guard by the seemingly random question. "Um…no… Sandpelt, Icepelt, and Twilightfur borrowed all the apprentices for some hunting contest…it's probably already over, and I would guess that they're all heading back to camp right now…why?"

Thorntail didn't answer, but seemed to be looking at something just over Blackshadow's shoulder – his eyes filled with a joyous light.

Blackshadow looked over his shoulder, his whiskers twitching at the coincidence: The ThunderClan deputy and her two pals - Twilightfur and Icepelt – were trotting towards them, a trail of apprentices – Beakpaw, Aquapaw, Gingerpaw, Morningpaw, and even Ebonypaw – streaming behind them.

Sandpelt stopped, as did the rest of her group, right in front of the two tom cats. She greeted Thorntail with a small cuff on the ear for reasons Blackshadow didn't understand, before she said hello to Blackshadow as well.

Blackshadow shifted uncomfortably. He and Thorntail had been in the middle of something. He wasn't in the mood to claw at the breeze with the three she-cats and the Clan apprentices. However, he realized that it was his duty to check on Morningpaw, so he briskly asked Sandpelt about what his apprentice had done.

"She caught a thrush…but we buried it back there somewhere" The tawny-colored she-cat jerked her head behind her. "However, I think the more interesting part of her day was when she and Twilightfur chased some RiverClan intruders from our territory."

Blackshadow stiffened. RiverClan was invading their territory? As if ThunderClan didn't have enough troubles as it was!

His pelt prickled with curiosity, as he saw an amused gleam in Sandpelt's eyes. "What's so funny?" he questioned, not noticing Thorntail pad over to Morningpaw.

"It wasn't a full fledged invasion. Some apprentices accidentally crossed the border when they were hunting a rabbit. But since Twilightfur is like, insane," Blackshadow couldn't help but sub-consciously remember Twilightfur's brother and littermate, Silverleaf, as Sandpelt made the joking remark, "she promptly forced them away – with Morningpaw in toe. The apprentices' mentors were mad, and defended the accident…but Twilightfur refused to listen to them…and…well…let's just say if I hadn't looked up from lecturing Beakpaw about his stalking crouch, there might've been a pointless battle." She glanced at Twilightfur then, and Blackshadow didn't know if it was a stern you-are-a-mouse-brain look, or a playful glance between friends.

"I don't trust RiverClan," Twilightfur hissed, curling her tail. "You give them a pawstep, and they'll end up padding through our territory like it was their own. Right, Morningpaw?" she tossed a glance over at her partner in the almost-battle, and Blackshadow noticed her blink in surprise, so he looked over at his apprentice as well.

He let out a startled squeak, as he saw Thorntail gently grooming the tortoiseshell's ears, while Morningpaw just let out a purr of amusement – and seemed to show off to the other apprentices.

"Great StarClan, Thorntail!" Icepelt gasped, shaking her porcelain-pelted head in disbelief. "If your mate, Applefur, finds out about this, she's going to claw your ears off."

"And she _will _find out." Sandpelt put in. "I'm going to tell her as soon as I get to camp!" the deputy's eyes glinted mischievously.

Thorntail looked up from Morningpaw innocently. "You can tell her if you want, Sandpelt, but she won't give two mouse-tails." He shrugged his shoulders. "We um…we realized we have totally different views about certain things in our relationship."

Blackshadow had to keep himself from clawing Thorntail's eyes out. He knew what Thorntail wanted to do with Morningpaw! _Things!_ _Things,_ that's what! It hadn't even been a single dawn since he walked away from Rosethorn. Just a jumble of heartbeats, in fact!

Blackshadow couldn't help but notice as Thorntail made his announcement, Twilightfur nudged Icepelt affectionately in the side while the white she-cat shifted with excitement meanwhile, Aquapaw looked extremely jealous of her sister, and Ebonypaw, knowing what Thorntail actually meant, had a look of horror in her green eyes.

"Um…right then," Sandpelt meowed, flicking her gaze from Blackshadow to Thorntail, before she turned to the apprentices. "Well, go find the prey you caught, and bring it back to camp. We'll decide the winner then."

After Ebonypaw meowed that she should probably get into camp, and relayed where she buried her prey to Aquapaw and she scurried through the Gorse Tunnel, the army of apprentices pounded off. All except for Morningpaw, who stayed, while Thorntail offered to come with her.

Morningpaw let out a purr of awe. "I'd love that more then anything, Thorntail!" she gasped.

The gray warrior nodded, and gave Blackshadow an icy glance, before he padded off with the apprentice.

…

Applefur groomed Rosethorn's pelt, her heart wrenching about. The medicine cat was lying so limp, and her pale sapphire eyes seemed to stare at nothing. Applefur knew it was wrong for her to do, but still in her mind she yowled at insults to Rosethorn – most of them consisting of 'weakling'.

"Okay, somebody needs to tell Ebonypaw what's going on!"

Applefur looked up from grooming Rosethorn at the entrance to the den, and blinked in surprise to see the little black apprentice, who was, for some reason, referring to herself in third-cat.

Applefur glanced at Rosethorn uneasily. How much should they tell Ebonypaw? The whole Flamesoul thing was a rather private matter, Applefur supposed. Since Rosethorn didn't seem to want to answer, Applefur meowed, "Thorntail was upset with Rosethorn because her mentor, Flamesoul, is rejoining the Clan." That was the truth, it just left out some details.

Ebonypaw blinked her emerald eyes in surprise. "Flamesoul?" she echoed. Suddenly, she seemed to shiver with excitement. "I heard of him! Before he left the Clan, he was one of the greatest medicine cats in the entire history of the forest! I heard that he only lost _two_ of his Clanmates in his whole reign! And I don't think they should count, 'cause ol' Flowertail told me once that they were oldy moldy elders! Anyways…" Ebonypaw seemed to have trouble containing her excitement. "He's the greatest! He's really coming back? Wow!"

Applefur cringed. She had heard of Flamesoul's achievements as well. She had no doubt in her mind, that if Streamstar could come up with a good-enough lie for his leaving, ThunderClan would warmly welcome him.

"There's so much he will be able to teach me!" Ebonypaw purred. Applefur saw Rosethorn shudder, and her heart wrenched. Ebonypaw seemed to think that she hurt her mentor's feelings, because she meowed, "You both will be able to teach me everything I need to know, so I'll be able to get my full name soon!"

Applefur snorted. She couldn't keep herself from mewing bitterly, "Ebonypaw, he'll teach you a lot of things, all right. Just make sure he doesn't teach you what it's like to become a queen, okay?"

"Queen?" Ebonypaw echoed, before she rounded on Applefur, "Why would I become a queen, Applefur? What makes you say that?"

Applefur was surprised to see how much this seemed to bother Ebonypaw, but she didn't comment on it. Instead she meowed, "Just don't turn your back on Flamesoul."

Ebonypaw's whiskers twitched and she seemed to be wracking her brain for the meaning of Applefur's warning. Suddenly, her green eyes seemed to ignite with alarm, and Applefur felt a flicker of hope that she had understood what she was trying to tell her. _Somebody_ had to warn her. If anyone, Ebonypaw would probably be Flamesoul's number one target, since she would be sharing a den with him as well, and Rosethorn had gotten bigger and stronger since she was an apprentice.

But why wasn't Rosethorn the one spewing out warnings to her apprentice? Rosethorn was the mentor! Applefur glanced at her friend uneasily, and had to look away from the hollowed, pained eyes of the medicine cat almost instantly.

"Rosethorn," Ebonypaw meowed, snapping her attention towards her mentor. Applefur turned towards her friend, and was relieved that Rosethorn had stopped sobbing, and now seemed to have regained enough of her composure to meet her apprentice's gaze. "…I heard from Thorntail that he and _'Applefur'_ had an argument, and separated." Applefur blinked, wondering what was alarming Ebonypaw so much, since the black cat hadn't seemed to have made the connection of the string of warnings Applefur had given to her.

Even though she had her composure back, Rosethorn still started to shake at the memory. "Yes…" she mumbled.

"And Flamesoul's joining the Clan…" Ebonypaw let out a squeak of alarm, as if she had just figured out some deep, dark secret. Applefur flashed her glance from the black apprentice to Rosethorn as she herself tried to figure out what was going on between them, as Ebonypaw meowed, "Rosethorn, remember the dream I had? Back when I was first made an apprentice?"

Rosethorn's eyes widened in horror, but Applefur couldn't help but be confused. What in the name of StarClan were they talking about? "What dream?"

Ebonypaw shifted. "Rosethorn, am I allowed to tell her? Are we allowed to share our dreams from StarClan?"

"From StarClan?" Applefur narrowed her eyes into slits. "Ebonypaw, you are going to tell me now, or I'm going to be forced to claw it out of you."

Ebonypaw looked at Rosethorn for a few heartbeats, possibly waiting for an objection (but Rosethorn was so out of it now, Applefur guessed that she wouldn't have objected if Ebonypaw suddenly announced that she was going to run off and become a kittypet) and she got none, so she turned to Applefur to explain. "A little after I became Rosethorn's apprentice, StarClan sent me a dream." Ebonypaw's eyes clouded as she remembered. "There was…this flowerbed. It was filled with roses. Beautiful roses. And these roses had sharp thorns. I know, because when I tried to grab one with my teeth, the thorns poked me hard. Lots of things came after the roses…I don't know why. I remember…a spotted fox, a shady-black badger, and a silver hawk in particular…but any time they got to the roses, the thorns pierced them and then they'd run away." Applefur blinked in awe. StarClan really had shown Ebonypaw the future! Applefur was quick to make the connections. Rosethorn was the roses – that one was obvious. Thorntail was the thorns…that one was a little obvious too. And Applefur didn't have to be that intelligent to figure out who the predators were, either.

"Anyways," Ebonypaw continued, her voice starting to waver, "I smelled smoke. So I looked over my shoulder…and saw…a fire coming towards the roses. Honestly, I had expected the thorns to somehow chase away the flames too…but instead, almost like a snake, the thorns slithered away, and abandoned the roses…"

Applefur blinked. "And?" she pressed, noticing that Ebonypaw's eyes were still darting about nervously. There was more to this dream. So far, the dream had named everything that had happened in the story of the forbidden love in acute detail. So…that meant that it could reveal the future.

"And…" Ebonypaw looked away, and Applefur could taste the fear-scent rising off of the night-colored medicine cat apprentice. "And…the roses ignited in flames…and they burned away."

…

Blackshadow nibbled half-heartedly at the magpie, as he flicked his ears towards the nursery, to try and catch the conversation the young queen Dusktail, the Clan deputy, and Icepelt, who Blackshadow assumed, had returned from their assessing every apprentice.

"You were in the camp at the time?" Sandpelt was pressing the black-and-gold Dusktail eagerly.

Dusktail snapped at Baykit and Tiberkit who were tumbling in a play-fight a few tail-lengths away, before she answered with an amused gleam in her yellow eyes, "Yes, I was. There are advantages to being in camp all day, aren't there? You see almost everything…" she turned her attention to a small ball of white fur that was gently prodding her in the side. "Hold on, Iriskit, I'm talking to Icepelt and Sandpelt right now."

"Poor Applefur," Sandpelt fretted, flicking her tail. "Did she take Thorntail's 'goodbye' well?"

"I don't know. I was too far to see." Dusktail meowed. "All I could see was Thorntail arguing with a dark-ginger blurb on the other side of camp. I could hear some of Thorntail's louder yowls…but…" she shrugged. "I know it must've shocked Applefur quite a bit, because she just sat there for a long time, until Rosethorn came and led her to her den."

Blackshadow's whiskers twitched, and he looked away. Apparently, the cats in the Clan had gotten Applefur and Rosethorn confused. Their pelts were so similar, he supposed it would be possible to think that the 'dark-ginger blurb' that Thorntail was arguing with was his 'mate' Applefur.

Unwillingly, he felt a powerful rush of joy jolt through him. If the Clan thought that Applefur was without Thorntail was a mate…then that meant that Blackshadow wouldn't have to hide his affection for her like it was against the Warrior Code – because it certainly wasn't!

He shifted uncomfortably at the wave of joy he had gotten. He already had Applefur, and Applefur knew he loved her. It was ridiculous and selfish to try and get any happiness from Rosethorn's intense misery!

He suddenly recalled Thorntail's padding off with Morningpaw. It seemed to be 'over' for Thorntail, but…what about Rosethorn? How would she take it, knowing that in such a tiny span of time Thorntail had run off with another she-cat?

He didn't get to think about that long, as he noticed Thorntail slip back into camp. The gray warrior padded over to the fresh-kill pile and placed a squirrel he had got in it, before he chose a robin for himself and padded over to the Warrior's Den, outside of which, Blackshadow was eating.

Blackshadow couldn't even hide his confusion. Hadn't Thorntail just run off with Morningpaw?

"Thorntail," he meowed carefully, alerting the gray cat of his presence. Thorntail rested his gaze on Blackshadow's dark pelt, giving Blackshadow room to ask about Morningpaw.

Blackshadow was relieved to see that his friend's hostility had died down as Thorntail's whiskers twitched, and he settled himself down beside his friend, before he meowed, "Oh, your apprentice?" it was obvious Thorntail had to keep himself from purring with amusement. "I mentioned going to Sunningrocks to _enjoy _ourselves, and she ran off crying like a kit for its mother." He rolled onto his back, and started to purr.

"You seem to be taking this well," Blackshadow acknowledged carefully. "So…you're really okay with this? Just saying 'goodbye' to Rosethorn and letting that be the end of it?"

Thorntail narrowed his eyes, and rolled back onto his paws, a more serious air to him as he narrowed his blue eyes into slits. "Am I okay with this?" he echoed. "That's it?" Thorntail seemed to wait politely for Blackshadow to put in his two-sense, but the ebony-furred warrior was silent. "…This isn't about just saying 'goodbye' anymore." Thorntail explained, looking down at his paws. "I'm just giving up. I mean, there's nothing I can do now."

Blackshadow wasn't sure if Thorntail was speaking about the relationship with Rosethorn, or Flamesoul's coming to the Clan. Blackshadow glanced at the sky uneasily, as he recalled Rosethorn's tip of how Streamstar would announce Flamesoul's rejoining of the Clan at sundown.

Blackshadow examined Thorntail's words carefully, and narrowed his eyes. Something about what Thorntail was saying didn't make sense. "And…you can really just give up on Rosethorn just like that?"

"What else can I do?" Thorntail sighed. "I mean…Rosethorn and I can't get closer, no matter what we do and…"

"What's all this about you _abandoning _Rosethorn?"

Blackshadow twisted his head, to see Applefur storming towards them, her paws thudding against the earth beneath her with a vengeance.

Once Applefur seemed sure that she had Thorntail's undivided attention, she swept on, "I understand why you're mad," she growled her own fury sprinkled on her voice, "but this is too much! Now you're just being selfish!"

Thorntail rolled his eyes, and looked away. "Applefur, you should be yowling at Rosethorn. The problem isn't with me. It's her." Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. "She's being stubborn in her own way. I can't deal with it… And it isn't about just being together or going our separate ways anymore…" he trailed off, and looked thoughtful.

Applefur seemed to have to struggle for words. "And…and you can just pad away from Rosethorn so easily? After everything you two have been through?" Applefur's tone became desperate for her friend. "Great StarClan, Thorntail, didn't you love her?"

Thorntail leveled his gaze with hers. "I'm ready to move on with my life. I can't waste my life padding after a she-cat who is so mouse-brained; she is willingly going to live under a shadow of violence for the rest of her life! What does she expect me to do, Applefur? When Flamesoul joins the Clan, did she have the intention of hiding behind me?!" he shook his head violently. "She can't. She can't hide behind me because-"

"You won't let her." Applefur spat out scornfully, lashing her tail.

Thorntail let out a threatening hiss, but didn't acknowledge or disclaim Applefur's guess, though Blackshadow felt a whisper in his ear that told him that his mate's leap in the dark couldn't be more correct. He felt a tinge of annoyance in his pelt at Applefur, as he wished she hadn't interrupted Thorntail. If they knew the gray cat's reasoning, it would be a lot easier to talk him out of his rash decision.

"Either way," Thorntail meowed, after a few heartbeats of silence that gave all three cats time to think, "you two have to understand that this isn't about what would make sense in _your_ heads… in _your_ hearts, it's about what's in _mine_. I admit, I loved Rosethorn…and I had a special place for her in my heart…but she's gone now. Basically, I'm over her."

Blackshadow flattened his ears against his head at the harshness of the other tom's tone, even though he felt a feeling of doubt crawl up his spine. There was absolutely no chance that Thorntail could actually lose all of his feelings for Rosethorn just like that. Blackshadow knew from experience, once Rosethorn had you under her spell – even if she put it on you unknowingly – it took quite awhile to forget that warm feeling you got when looking at her. In fact, even with Applefur, sometimes Blackshadow _still _felt light-headed in the medicine cat's presence. And his 'love' for Rosethorn had been one-sided. The scarlet-pelted she-cat hadn't ever returned his feelings, so it had been much easier to try and forget about her. But Thorntail had not had an unrequited love. It couldn't be that simple to just forget about her.

Thorntail's shimmering sapphire eyes suddenly rounded, and he stared at something that seemed to be behind Blackshadow and his feisty little mate. Blackshadow flashed an amber glance over his shoulder, and his legs felt numb, when he saw Rosethorn – who had, from the look in her own misty blue eyes, heard almost every word Thorntail had said.

Blackshadow noticed that Rosethorn was hopelessly waiting for Thorntail to acknowledge her, but the only scrap she got was the gray pelt of Thorntail brush against her rose-colored one, as he padded right by her, seeming to head towards the tunnel of Gorse, before he was stopped in his tracks by a mighty caterwaul delivered by Streamstar from her position on the HighRock.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the HighRock for a Clan meeting."

Streamstar's voice was filled with more joy then an apprentice when they deliver their 'I do' for their warrior ceremony. Blackshadow couldn't help but glance at the sky, before he spat crossly down at the earth. Sun-down. Streamstar was announcing to the Clan Flamesoul's joining. The ebony-furred tom-cat couldn't help but find it sick that Streamstar was _joyously_ announcing the renewed acceptance into the Clan of the cat who had forced himself on _her own_ _daughter_.

Thorntail glanced up at the HighRock – and there was no denying the blind fury that burned through his ice-blue eyes at the Clan leader on the rock. For a heartbeat, Blackshadow expected Thorntail to object to the announcement that hadn't been announced yet, yowl obscenities, and maybe murder some unlucky cat that got too close to his flying claws.

Instead, Thorntail turned away from the Gorse Tunnel he had been padding towards, an oddly solemn look in his sky-blue eyes, before he calmly joined sat beside Badgerclaw and Twilightfur underneath the HighRock. It was odd, but the calm aura that Thorntail was demonstrating only seemed to make his pure rage even more noticeable.

Rosethorn was looking helplessly at the gray pelt of what used to be her mate, and she seemed to be struggling for words, before she padded towards the HighRock to find a place beside Ebonypaw. Blackshadow noticed that she didn't even try to put on a joyous front for her Clanmates, and she padded towards the mass of ThunderClan cats as if she were walking to her execution.

Blackshadow could just hear Applefur mutter, "I can't believe those two," before she turned to him, her blue eyes round. "Blackshadow, do you think Thorntail and Rosethorn will be alright? They've lived through worse, right? They'll be fine. Blackshadow, tell me that they'll be fine."

Under the intense azure gaze of his mate, Blackshadow couldn't help but force himself to lie. "If you don't mind adding to their terrible record." He meowed, hoping her sounded more convincing then he felt.

It didn't seem to comfort Applefur at all; in fact, all it seemed to do was make her slightly mad at him for lying to her, because she stormed off to sit herself beside Sandpelt and Dusktail, the two nursery queens she was starting to form a close bond with.

Blackshadow looked around helplessly, as he realized that all three of his friends had padded off, leaving him alone. A growl of fury rose in his throat, as he noticed Thorntail sitting beside Twilightfur and Badgerclaw –_ purring_ at a joke, while on the other side of camp Rosethorn sat beside Ebonypaw, Aquapaw, and Icepelt, her eyes firmly on her paws and her shoulders shagging. It was no secret who was taking this traumatic event harder.

_After everything Applefur talked me into doing to keep those two together, _Blackshadow thought bitterly, thinking of his four kits who would never call him 'father' _still they pad in separate directions. All Applefur and I did was delay the inevitable. _

He shook his head to chase away the depressing thoughts as he settled himself on the other side of Badgerclaw from Thorntail.

He didn't get to think about them long anyways, because Streamstar began to make her announcement.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Streamstar began, her white pelt beginning to shimmer with the as the light of Silverpelt began to dance on it, "Some of you have already noticed um…"

Blackshadow flinched. 'Um' usually, Clan leaders never paused in their announcements. They were never lost for words. They spoke with clear authority…why was Streamstar faltering? Was she beginning to doubt her decision of having Flamesoul join the Clan?

"Some of us have already noticed that traitor to the Warrior Code, Flamesoul, sitting right beneath the right-side of the HighRock." Blackshadow blinked, as he heard the angry caterwaul. He glanced around Badgerclaw, half expecting it to be Thorntail who was yowling out his distaste, but to his surprise, it was another gray cat. Blackshadow's late mother's second mate, Shrewtail.

The petite warrior was on his paws, his brown eyes flashing with rage, as he spat out his distaste at having Flamesoul in his presence again. Blackshadow noticed that several warriors, like Twilightfur, Icepelt, Dusktail, Applefur, and even Beakpaw and Aquapaw were on their paws, yowling agreement with their Clanmate. Oddly, however, Thorntail was staying true to his promise to Rosethorn earlier about the 'not making a fuss' and was not making a single sound. However, he was digging his claws into the earth, and seemed to find that very fascinating as his gaze seemed riveted to the ground beneath his paws.

For a moment, Blackshadow was confused. About many things. One of the first bothered him. Why hadn't he scented Flamesoul? He couldn't see him – a big head blocked his vision – but surely, he would've been able to pick out an unusual scent. He sniffed the air. Now, he could pick out the ThunderClan scent, sprinkled on top with the scents of water, air, and unfamiliar forests. Flamesoul. Blackshadow decided that he hadn't been able to pick it out before, because he was so preoccupied with the Rosethorn-Thorntail business.

The other thing that felt like a thorn in his side was his Clanmate's yowls. Did ThunderClan know of how Flamesoul had forced himself onto Rosethorn? Then Blackshadow remembered – most of them thought that Flamesoul had run off with a loner she-cat, thus betraying the Warrior Code.

"…What are you talking about, Shrewtail?" Streamstar's voice was edged with annoyance.

Shrewtail explained the whole 'loner she-cat' rumor that the Clan seemed to have accepted without question, and as he finished the Clan yowled their disapproval of seeing him in their presence once more. Blackshadow threw his voice in the mix.

Streamstar listened her blue eyes thoughtful. Blackshadow couldn't help but take note of how similar her sapphire eyes were to her daughter's, Rosethorn's.

"Where'd you hear that load of fox-dung?" Streamstar asked curtly, giving her chest a quick lick.

Icepelt padded to stand beside Shrewtail, her eyes defiant as she growled, "Why, Rosethorn told me herself."

"And you told me," Shrewtail put in.

Blackshadow blinked. Very rarely, if ever, did a Clan rebel against a leader – especially when Streamstar hadn't even given them her decision yet. ThunderClan clearly had inherited a grudge for Flamesoul, just as Blackshadow had. Even if it was for a different reason.

Streamstar seemed to have to force herself to purr. "And you believed us?" she chuckled, flashing a glance at the moon for a moment, as if she was pressed for time. "Oh, Rosethorn and I were just joking. You all take things too seriously…"

"Then why did he leave?" Blackshadow recognized the scornful voice of Applefur.

Streamstar clearly had wracked her brain for a good excuse before this Clan meeting had begun, because her voice was smooth as she meowed, "Flamesoul was on a medicine cat's mission, given directly from StarClan. They instructed Flamesoul and I to keep it hidden from the Clan, otherwise one of you might jeopardize it. However, Flamesoul has completed that, and will once again take his place as ThunderClan's medicine cat."

Why was it as soon as a Clan leader or medicine cat uttered the word 'StarClan' all yowls of outrage and doubt vanished instantly? Why did not cat question what the mission was? Why did Shrewtail and Icepelt go back to sit, without another word of argument? Blackshadow was tempted to leap to his paws, act like Applefur, and yowl out the truth, that Flamesoul had raped his own apprentice – more than once, mind you – but he held his tongue. If Rosethorn had no quarry with Flamesoul's joining the Clan, Blackshadow certainly had no right to argue.

Even so, Blackshadow couldn't help but feel his rage for Streamstar escalate. At first, Blackshadow could see traces of the Warrior Code etched within Rosethorn and Streamstar's decision to let Flamesoul join the Clan. The safety of one member of the Clan was not as important as the safety of the Clan as a whole. But Streamstar had just lied about the words of StarClan. There was no mission; there had been no order to keep it hidden from ThunderClan – there had been no anything! Blackshadow jumped, as he heard thunder clash overhead, as if StarClan were yowling disapproval of Streamstar's lies.

Blackshadow blinked, as he felt rain starting to drizzle down his pelt. There had not been a cloud in the sky earlier. StarClan had sent this storm. It was obvious they disapproved of Streamstar, and ThunderClan… did any other cat see it?

Blackshadow's amber gaze stretched throughout the Clan, to see if any cat had caught the meaning of the flash storm. A few cats were glancing at the sky, as if they were annoyed that it was storming, but none of them seemed to catch the sign StarClan was trying to send to them. No one that is, except for Rosethorn, who had her ears flattened against her head, and was staring at the space beside the HighRock that was invisible to Blackshadow. The place that Flamesoul sat.

Streamstar seemed to search her Clan's faces for doubt as well, before she went on explaining the details of this fantastic mission Flamesoul had gone on. Blackshadow half listened. He looked at Thorntail. He didn't know why.

The gray tom wasn't listening to Streamstar either, and he had a distracted look in his eyes, as he began to try and catch some rain water on his pink tongue. For some reason, he seemed to relish the taste of water too much, as he closed his eyes as if to savor the taste more. Why was Thorntail thinking so fondly of rain? It rained all the time, and it wasn't as if there had been a drought…

The big-headed cat that had been blocking Blackshadow's vision moved its head slightly, finally giving him the chance to look at Flamesoul for the first time since he had been an apprentice under Grasswhisper.

He had to bite back a yowl of surprise.

He doubted he had ever seen such a large cat in his entire life. Flamesoul was at least two mouse-lengths taller than Thorntail – and Thorntail had been the tallest cat in ThunderClan! However, even though Flamesoul was tall, he was thin and lithe. Blackshadow wondered if that was just his build, or if it was from moons of starvation as a loner. He doubted the latter, as he looked more closely. Flamesoul certainly hadn't starved. He wasn't fat, like a kittypet, but he didn't look like he had gone without a good meal in awhile. He was enjoying the plentiful Newleaf as much as any Clan cat.

Flamesoul's pelt was, as his name suggested, flame-colored – with dark brown tabby stripes running down his spine. Blackshadow examined the face of the cat that had harmed Rosethorn in the past carefully. Flamesoul had a slightly narrow muzzle, and pointed ears, and whiskers tinged with silver, but other than that, his face wasn't really all that memorable. That is, except his eyes.

They were emerald. Dark green – like a blade of grass in its prime. Blackshadow couldn't put his whisker on it, but for some reason, Flamesoul's eyes were different than Ebonypaw's. Ebonypaw's green eyes always had a light in them, a warm, joyous light that would've lit up the darkest of nights – and it never burned out, even when Ebonypaw was sad. Flamesoul's eyes… seemed to be cold enough to blow out the fire in Ebonypaw's.

The dark eyes of Flamesoul were fixed on something, as Streamstar rambled on and on. Blackshadow flashed a glance over, to see what it was. His blood froze.

Was it Rosethorn he was looking at? Ebonypaw? Or both? Surely, he wouldn't be twisted enough to…

Blackshadow wondered if Rosethorn had caught the gaze. Apparently, she had, because she kept on looking from her mentor, to her apprentice, and back again.

Soon Streamstar stopped her long tangent of defending the tom-cat, who had made her daughter's apprenticeship the most traumatic incidents in Rosethorn's life, and the Clan was eerily silent for a moment, as if weighing everything in their heads. Then, they slowly began to crowd around Flamesoul, welcoming into the Clan, apologizing for doubting him, complimenting his bravery, asking questions about the made up mission…

Blackshadow got curious, and slowly began to trudge over to hear Flamesoul's answers, painfully aware of Thorntail who slipped into the Warrior's den – and Rosethorn, who stayed rooted to where she sat.

"Flamesoul," Ebonypaw was asking, her green eyes meeting his, "I am Ebonypaw. I'm Rosethorn's apprentice, and I'm trainin' to be a medicine cat like you! My mother, Turtlefeather, she told me that you saved her life when she was still an apprentice! She said that she was lying on the edge of StarClan with…with…" she apprentice paused as she tried to remember.

"Blackcough?" Flamesoul prompted, his voice a soft rumble, as his whiskers twitched with… Blackshadow hoped it was amusement. He seemed to be the only one who cared.

"Blackcough," Ebonypaw agreed.

Flamesoul seemed to regard Ebonypaw for a moment, before briefly touching Ebonypaw's flank with his tail. "Your pelt is just as silky as your mother, Turtlefeather's, even if it is a different color." Blackshadow recalled that Turtlefeather was a brown tabby. "Are you sure you're a medicine cat? It must be hard for you. I bet the toms are always padding after you."

Blackshadow felt his blood boil.

Ebonypaw flattened her ears against her head. "Why does everyone say that? There is no tom, everyone should stop bringing it up…" she mumbled, before backing away to go about her medicine cat chores.

Once the apprentice was out of the way, Flamesoul was once again bombarded with questions. However, one statement rang out loud and clear, and Blackshadow had to stifle a purr.

"I hear you like apprentices." Blackshadow grunted, as Applefur thrust her way through the circle of her Clanmates, until she stood hardly a tail-length away from the medicine cat.

"I have two she-kits," Applefur continued, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Their names are Baykit and Petalkit. In a few moons, they'll be apprentices. I suggest you learn to _dislike_ those two, or I'll be forced to kill you."

A few ThunderClan cats looked at each other uneasily, and Blackshadow narrowed his eyes as he waited for Flamesoul's reply.

Applefur didn't give him time, however, and she swept on, "And Blackshadow will help. Right, Blackshadow?" she tossed a glance behind her to look at him.

Blackshadow hesitated for a moment. He always got nervous by the thought of killing, for some reason. Grasswhisper taught him the value of life too well. Then he thought of his two daughters, and his blood boiled.

"I'll help," he vowed.

Applefur turned to leave, then seemed to remember something and turned her attention to Flamesoul once more. "Oh, yeah. And dislike Iriskit too." Blackshadow was surprised that Applefur had brought up Spottedstar's daughter, as Applefur went on, "Iriskit is going to grow into a traitor to this Clan – one whose name will eventually be used to frighten kits. She can't very well do that if she becomes weak. So stay away from her, and let her cover the forest with blood as she must do by instinct…" at the curious glances her Clan was giving her – Blackshadow's included, she stuttered, "Not that I want her too…it's a prediction…oh, be quiet, and go back to hounding the fox-dung." Applefur began to pad towards the Nursery, probably to check on her kits, before she was barreled into by a tortoiseshell blur that Blackshadow recognized as his apprentice, Morningpaw, finally coming back from the short-lived 'hunting patrol' with Thorntail.

He padded towards her, wondering why she had been in such a hurry. Morningpaw was sprawled out on his side, and Blackshadow had to usher her to her paws, before she began to gush out her tale.

"IwasrunningawayfromThorntailbecausehewasstartingtoscaremeandIwasrunningrunningrunningwhe nIscentedafunnysmellandIwaslikeWhatsthisfunnysmellOhitsmellslikeShadowClanAtfirstIthoughttheywerehuntingbecauseIsmelledfreshkilledsquirrelbutthenIsawShadowClanwarriorsstreakingthroughtheundergrowthwithSmokestarandR avenfeatherleadingthemandIwaslikeohfoxdungIshouldwarntheClanandthatswhatImdoing"

Blackshadow stared blankly at her for a moment, before he meowed, "What?"

Morningpaw looked annoyed that her mentor hadn't understood her, before she gushed out, "ShadowClan! Undergrowth! Smokestar! Squirrels! Attack!"

Blackshadow blinked in surprise as he translated in his mind. ShadowClan was attacking! He recalled Smokestar's threats at the last Gathering. After a few dawns of waiting, Smokestar had finally decided to carry out his attack!

He was about to turn and yowl to the Clan what his apprentice had just told him, when he felt the putrid scent of ShadowClan warriors enter his nostrils. He turned his head, and his heart lurched as he noticed Ravenfeather and Smokestar, side by side, as they thundered down the ravine with what seemed like, a Clan of warriors behind them.

"As if we didn't have enough trouble," Blackshadow thought disdainfully, unsheathing his claws.

* * *

**I needed to have ShadowClan attack, because once again, this fic started to drift away from its warriors roots, and started to turn out of something from V.C Andrews! YIKES! This isn't even inspired by one of her stories! What is V.C Andrews doing here? (If you know who she is, good for you, one who reads books from the 70's!) I needed Erin Hunter, I needed ShadowClan here for...reasons...and that's that. Deal with the bad cliffie, since, quite frankly, in this fic it's more or less just about Four "Friends" and their turmoils of living in Clan life, not really about ThunderClan as a whole...but all well. **

**Anyways, I apologize for the typos in this chapter. I typed it in an odd place, without my friend to look over it and fix over 70 (I love that percantage today) of my typos. Yes, before it is read over there is usually a billion typos - more than what you usually see (Gasp in surprsie, for you know that I have many typos! YIKES!)**

**Anyways, review and you'll get a Flamesoul plushie. Did I give one of those out yet? Hrm. You can give it to your puppy to rip apart, if you like. Or you can hide in a box as a collector's item, and wait a week for everyone else in the world to feed theirs to their puppy - making yours the last one on earth, and therefore worth over 5 dollars. Yeah, 5 whole imaginary dollars! Neat, huh?**

**Review. **


	20. Chapter 19

**Guess what, everyone? Go on, guess. I said guess! WHY AREN'T YOU GUESSING YOU SADISTIC PIECE OF FOX-DUNG!?**

**Sorry. **

**Well, the thing is: This is the longest chapter I've ever written! 17 pages. Why didn't I write three more for the twenty? Because I didn't feel like it, that's why. However, because of its length, it was really hard to proofread...so I apologize for the abnormal number of mistakes. It's just too long! YIKES! Sorry everyone. Oh, and I felt I should warn you all: I use the word 'heat' in here. No, not 'heat' as in 'The heat outside is unbearable' but the heat as in...the animal heat... Sorry, but I did. I didn't use it very much, but it's in a quick conversation between Beakcl - I mean Beak_paw_, and Ebonypaw. **

**And, as much as I hate Flamesoul, I kind of like the conversation he, Ebonypaw, and Rosethorn have together. I hope you will too. **

**xx-Secrets-xx - First off, I think I should tell you... I'm sorry! SO SORRY! But I don't think I can proofread your chapters (I know, because I was doing such a good job at it, huh? lol.) I've just been too busy...and...I'm SORRY! DON'T KILL ME! -begs forgiveness- I'll give you a special one-of-a-kind erm...I dunno. I'll give you a one-of-a-kind plushie of whoever you want! JUST DON'T KILL ME! I'M SORRY!! -cries- Annyyywaays...though I don't come out and say it in this chapter, I think your question about Ebonypaw is more or less answered. And about the kin of Silverleaf, Twilightfur, and Gingerpaw...and Flamesoul...you know, I never really thought about who their father is. I know who their mother is... Flamesoul _might_ be their father. -shrugs- Ask their mother when we meet her. And Flamesoul has a noticeable scent, Blackshadow just didn't notice if right away. I had to have that paragraph to fill in a plot hole. Sorry if it threw you off... **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Hello, awesome one. (I read your story, it blew my mind, so that is your new name from now on.) **

**Runningshadow - I am forced to hug you now. -huggles- **

**Oceanwind - Let's just say that this reviewer is awesome, ne? **

**Dragon-Star155 - You know, I think I made Thorntail meaner thn I intended in this chapter... All well. (I think he calls Rosethorn 'daft' once or twice. Hrm.)**

**Strangefur- As long as you review, I promise to reply! Anyways... -rips Flamesoul plushie's head off, puts squeaky toy inside, and duck tapes Flamesoul-head back on- There you go! **

**Anyways...**

**Enjoy, **

* * *

Blackshadow flexed his claws, and curled his lips into an instinctive snarl, as the ShadowClan warriors burst through the thorn barriers of the camp. His amber eyes reflected the sight of Foxheart, the ShadowClan warrior who he often spoke to at Gatherings, already running towards the group of ThunderClan cats still gathered under the HighRock. Blackshadow felt his fur bristle. Already, ShadowClan was slashing their claws at noble ThunderClan warriors – there had been no formal announcement. No mixed words. ShadowClan had just bolted in, and was already trying to spill noble warrior blood. 

Enraged, Blackshadow bunched his muscles together, and literally launched himself at a rather large dark brown tabby tomcat. As the ShadowClan warrior nimbly used a huge front paw to knock Blackshadow to the earth, the ThunderClan warrior's amber eyes just caught site of the cat's white underbelly, and he was able to recognize his opponent as Flyingeagle – one of ShadowClan's most decorated warriors.

Ignoring the feeling of sickness that overwhelmed him as he realized just what he was up against, Blackshadow rose to his paws, and wasted no time in lashing an ebony paw out in front of him, and slashing it down Flyingeagle's nose. The brown tabby cat's pale blue eyes grew narrow, as Flyingeagle flinched at the pain, before the ShadowClan cat gained his composure and threw himself forward, taking Blackshadow by surprise, and giving Flyingeagle an opening to dig his thorn-sharp fangs in the ThunderClan cat's throat.

Blackshadow let out a startled squeak, as he felt a trail of blood slither down his neck. A bite to the neck was a killing blow… Great StarClan, was Flyingeagle trying to murder him?

Furious at his enemy, not only for attacking his camp, but acting outside the Warrior Code, Blackshadow twisted around, and was just able to use his back paws to slash at Flyingeagle's flank. The ShadowClan warrior released his grip on Blackshadow's neck momentarily to yowl in pain, giving the ThunderClan cat time to get back onto his paws.

"Fox-dung," Flyingeagle swore, flexing his muscles to pounce. Meanwhile, Blackshadow tensed, prepared to roll onto his back and kick Flyingeagle when the enemy lunged at him, with all of his might.

Blackshadow let out a squeak of surprise, as he saw Flyingeagle let out a rumbling purr of amusement, and sit up on his haunches – instead of going through with the lunge he had seemed to have planned. Blackshadow paused in deciding on how to attack, wondering why Flyingeagle was planning – especially when the brown tabby began to give his ears a thorough wash, as if he thought that Blackshadow was not a problem to defeat.

While the black tomcat was still weighing the possibilities in his head, when he suddenly felt four dainty paws lie flat on his back, before claws were unsheathed – and were dug into his skin. Blackshadow yowled in agony, and twisted his head around to see a tiny, light-gray she-cat staring down at him with joy shimmering in her unusually silver eyes.

The pain of the four-paw's worth of claws in his back, and the sheer weight of another warrior made Blackshadow's legs buckle under him, and forced him to the earth. He spat an insult up at the silver-eyed warrior on his back. An attack from behind! Dishonorable! That's all it was! Dishonorable!

As Blackshadow began to struggle free from the she-cat's clutches – with Flyingeagle watching with an amused gleam in his eyes – he couldn't help but remember all of the warnings he had been given, and what all his experience with ShadowClan cats had told him: They were untrustworthy in battle! They only attacked if they knew they could win! Cowardly cats that usually refused to face an enemy head-on!

"Stormpool," Flyingeagle meowed approvingly, glancing at the light gray she-ct on Blackshadow's back, "Why don't you bite into the tender skin around his eyes? It happened to Spruceleaf once, and they told me that it is one of the most painful things that can happen in battle."

Blackshadow braced himself for the cat on his back – Stormpool, as Flyingeagle called her – to carry out her Clanmate's suggestion. He cringed as he felt her shift, probably to get in an easier position for the bite, but a unusually malicious voice seemed to stop her in her tracks.

"Is it really the most painful thing to have happen in a battle? Flyingeagle, how can you be sure unless you experience it? Here, tell me how much it hurts!"

Thorntail seemed to fly out of the sky, and onto the huge ShadowClan cat's back, similar to what Stormpool had done to Blackshadow. However, Thorntail didn't have to use his claws to make Flyingeagle tumble to the earth – the sheer weight of the half-RiverClan half-ShadowClan ThunderClan warrior made Flyingeagle kneel to the ground. At any other time, Blackshadow would've been sickened by the sheer joy that was sparkling in Thorntail's sky-blue eyes, as he covered Flyingeagle's eyes with his front paws, before unsheathing his claws, and digging them into the soft skin around his enemy's eyes – unprotected by even fur.

Flyingeagle let out a yowl of agony, and Blackshadow felt Stormpool stiffen as she saw the scarlet lines running down her Clanmate's face.

Thorntail shrugged, and slowly got off of the brown tabby cat to calmly lick the blood off of his claws. "Oops." He meowed innocently, as he glanced calmly at the crimson-covered hole where one of Flyingeagle's azure eyes should've been. "I hope I didn't blind him… Stormpool, your medicine cat can fix that, can't she?"

Flyingeagle's yowls of pain followed him as he rushed out of camp – bumping into several fighting cats on the way. Blackshadow literally felt a weight lift off of him, as Stormpool let out a furious screech, and literally threw herself at Thorntail to avenge her Clanmate. As Blackshadow struggled to his paws, he half-expected for Stormpool to knock Thorntail over with the shock of her attack – but she didn't. Instead, almost in mid-air, Thorntail grabbed the scruff of the tiny she-cat, and began to shake her about violently for a few heartbeats, before he dropped her to the earth.

Stormpool lay on her back, stunned it seemed from the violent movement. Thorntail wasted no time in scraping his claws across her belly – which brought her out of her shock almost instantly, and let her scurry from the camp.

Thorntail watched her go for a few heartbeats, before he let out a purr. "Wow! This is fun!" he announced, his voice sprinkled with giddiness.

Even though Thorntail had just saved Blackshadow from that sticky situation with Flyingeagle and Stormpool, he couldn't help but feel a pang of resentment. ShadowClan was attacking, because Thorntail had stolen their prey! The gray tom should've known that ShadowClan never let things like that go! They held a grudge, and waited for revenge: And they were getting it now.

"Fun?" Blackshadow asked, taking the momentarily breather to glance around camp. "…We are outnumbered two-to-one! You call fighting against almost impossible odds fun! We could be driven out!"

"Oh, lighten up." Thorntail let out a chuckle – even as Blackshadow heard a cry of nightmarish-class coming from Icepelt on the other side of camp. "Smokestar isn't trying to drive us out – ShadowClan has a lot more warriors than this, and he didn't bring them. As much as I hate the cat, I have to admit, he is keeping to his word at the Gathering: All he's doing is 'teaching us a lesson' about stealing prey."

"This 'lesson' could cost the lives of ThunderClan warriors, and we don't have any to spare!" Blackshadow snapped.

Thorntail shrugged his shoulders, and for the first time Blackshadow noticed that his friend was nearly drenched in blood. His chest, his flank…his forehead…

"Well," Thorntail purred cheerfully, "since you are so into defending your silly little fox-dung and mouse-brain filled Clan," Blackshadow flinched as Thorntail insulted ThunderClan, "why are you talking to me? Shouldn't you be out there spilling ShadowClan blood?"

Blackshadow narrowed his eyes coldly, as he felt blood drip down his back and throat. Why was Thorntail acting like this? He knew that the gray cat was still a little miffed about the Rosethorn thing, but… in times like this, the Clan should be united!

Thorntail seemed to sense Blackshadow's anger, because he gave his darker-pelted friend a fake cuff over the ear – which hurt, even if it was fake. "C'mon, Blackshadow, you're not defeated yet. Go and take some pride in killing, blinding, and chasing some ShadowClan cats."

Suddenly remembering the dire situation that he had just ranted about, Blackshadow gave Thorntail a curt nod. Probably feeling that conversation was over, Blackshadow's gray friend flew, screeching, towards a shorthaired tan tabby. Blackshadow then swept his amber gaze across the camp, deciding that with such terrible odds, it would be best to fight alongside one of his Clanmates – one that needed help, unlike 'Thorntail the magnificent'. His heart thudded in his chest, as he noticed his half-brother, Beakpaw, being batted around like he was a mouse, by a silky-violet tom, along with a smaller, apprentice-looking she-cat.

Blackshadow let out a battle cry, and charged towards them – but before he could get to his destination, he felt another cat slam into his side, and was knocked onto the cold earth underpaw, that had already been chilled by the night winds. He tried to get up, but for some reason, the ground was slippery, and damp. He suddenly recalled Applefur scolding Tiberkit for making rain in the middle of camp.

Blackshadow didn't have time to neither curse Tiberkit's rudeness, nor feel disgusted by what he had slipped on, as he looked at the white paws of his attacker. Blackshadow twisted his neck, to stare into the oak-tree-brown eyes of Shimmerpelt, a newly-named ShadowClan warrior. Before Blackshadow could do anything with the new knowledge of his opponent, he felt Shimmerpelt's teeth dig into his shoulder. Screeching in agony, Blackshadow batted Shimmerpelt's paws with his backpaws, clawing out clumps of porcelain-white fur. Shimmerpelt's blood momentarily spewed across his amber eyes, negating his ability to see for a few heartbeats. However, when Blackshadow was able to blink the scarlet flecks away, he was able to see the white tail of Shimmerpelt disappear through the now-broken bramble wall of camp.

Blackshadow glanced at Beakpaw, and was relieved to see him chase off the other ShadowClan warrior that had been worrying him, yowling insults at the retreating enemy.

"And don't come back, you soft, Twolegloving, tuna-craving, cutter-condemned _kittypet_!" Beakpaw's tan tabby fur was bristling as he hurdled a final 'good-bye' to his opponent, before he meowed graciously, "Thank you for the help, Blackshadow."

Blackshadow gave him a curt nod, before he charged towards his next opponent.

…

"Rosethorn, it _hurts_…"

Rosethorn licked the ginger-and-white fur of Baykit helplessly, as she huddled in the nursery, following Sandpelt's order to stay aloof and out of the way during the battle.

Applefur, the only queen in the nursery, kept glancing from her daughter, Baykit, to Rosethorn, and then back again. "Rosethorn, isn't there anything you can do?"

Rosethorn shook her head, ignoring the yowls of the battle that were echoing about just outside of the nursery. She couldn't get to her den – she had already tried once, only to find that a few sadistic ShadowClan warriors were guarding the entrance, clearing making sure that the medicine cats of ThunderClan would not be able to get to their herb stocks during the battle.

Sadistic ShadowClan warriors. That seemed to be the perfect way to describe them, Rosethorn decided, as she looked worriedly at the claw marks on Baykit's flanks. What kind of honorable cat harmed a _kit_? None. Only a twisted, sick warrior would dare harm a defenseless scrap of fur like Baykit.

Applefur looked like she wanted to argue, but she seemed to decide that it would be better to just comfort her daughter, with the warm, loving licks that only a mother could give to her kit.

"Look what I found,"

Rosethorn looked up from Baykit, and felt that cold shiver run down her spine, as she saw the fire-pelted medicine cat slip into the den, brown and ginger clumps of fur hanging in his jaws.

Rosethorn tried to fight the vicious memories that started to rise in her mind, as Flamesoul gently placed Hollowkit and Blazekit down beside Applefur's other kits that were in the corner of the nursery with all the other kittens of ThunderClan.

"Blazekit and Hollowkit are a little shocked...right now, I can't tell why…" Flamesoul meowed calmly. "I think you should probably calm them down…"

Applefur looked up briefly from Baykit, let out a mewl of alarm, and padded towards Blazekit and began to cover him with furious licks. "Blazekit," she growled when she was done, "what were you doing? You could've been killed! …And to think I didn't even notice you were gone, Blazekit…"

"Don't forget about Hollowkit…" Flamesoul pointed out helpfully, glancing at the other tuft of fur sitting right beside Blazekit, with yellow eyes rounded in horror.

"Blazekit, don't ever do anything like this again! Ever! Baykit was already injured – did you know that? And she was being good, and staying in the protective nursery! What could've happened to you out there! Do you have any idea how ruthless ShadowClan cats are, Blazekit?!"

"Or…ignore Hollowkit, and just look after Blazekit…that works too, I suppose..." Flamesoul meowed, after staring blankly at Applefur for a few heartbeats. Flamesoul turned his head. Rosethorn felt her heart start to thud, as her mentor suddenly locked gazes with her. She suddenly felt the feeling of fear cling to her like Thorntail to she-cats, and she felt instinct yowling in her ear to run… but somehow, she kept her paws rooted to the ground.

"I smell blood." Flamesoul meowed. "Is…is someone injured?"

Applefur seemed to have completely forgotten her hostility to Flamesoul, and meowed briskly, "Baykit. She was injured…and Rosethorn can't get into the medicine cat's den…"

Flamesoul used one of his huge paws, and gently rolled Baykit towards him. He inspected her for a few heartbeats, and in the silence of the den Rosethorn's mind was left to wander. She remembered…fighting with kicks and scratches…butting her head against her mentor…yowling…yowling…yowling, until she could yowl no more… Just feel the shame…the humiliation. Nobody heard. Nobody came. Nobody ever came…

"I couldn't get into the den either…" Flamesoul meowed calmly. Rosethorn wanted to close her ears, as she heard the same cat, in the same voice mew calmly so many moons ago… _Rosepaw, be quiet...shh…shh…listen to what your mentor says, and stay quiet… Shh…shh…Oh, that's a good apprentice. Yes, be quiet. That's good… _

"But," Flamesoul continued, "I think I can stop the bleeding momentarily with a few clumps of my fur… But that will just buy us some time… However…" Flamesoul looked away from Applefur, and glanced at Rosethorn again. She stood rigid, standing as still as stone, as he meowed to her, "Rosethorn, I think I saw a fresh spider web being made from the ground to the HighRock. Chase away the spider, and get its web, and we can give it to Baykit to stop the bleeding – and it has to stop soon. Baykit is so small; she doesn't have much blood to spare."

Rosethorn just stood there, in shock, as she recalled a small prayer she, as young Rosepaw had sent to StarClan. _StarClan…I see Flamesoul… he's coming closer to me…Father? Crimsonspirit, Flamesoul…he's coming through the ferns. He found me, StarClan! Please, please don't let him do this to me again…please, please no…StarClan, why didn't you warn me?! Help me! Are you seeing what's going on, StarClan? Are you listening to me? Help me! Please! Do something! Anything…please, don't let Flamesoul… _

Rosepaw had tried to run then…

_He won't be able to do anything to me if I run… I just need to run fast enough…StarClan, StarClan…please…please! He's…he's…gaining on me… StarClan, slow him down…I can't run as fast as him… StarClan, please! Are you listening! Don't you care?! StarClan, save me! Father, you're up there with them…make them listen to me…make them save me!... _

"Rosethorn!"

Rosethorn literally stumbled back, as Flamesoul knocked her from her memories.

"Rosethorn, Baykit needs the spider web, now! Do you want her to die?!"

_Do you want everyone to hear us, Rosepaw? StarClan wants this to happen to you, you know; it has to happen. It's fun, you must be enjoying it…stop yowling! If ThunderClan finds out, I guarantee you that they'll never accept you. You'll be scrounging for food as a loner if they find out. It's a secret ritual just between medicine cats: There's nothing wrong with what I'm doing. It's against the Warrior Code for you to tell any cat…_

Lies! Lies! Always lies!

"Rosethorn, what are you doing?" Applefur's voice was frantic. "Go! Go!"

Rosethorn shook herself violently. It was over! Flamesoul would never force himself on her again. It was over! Over! …

She rushed out of the den, her heart lurching instantly. Though she saw a few ShadowClan cats fleeing the camp, she still saw enough in the camp to easily outnumber the precious few ThunderClan warriors.

Remembering Baykit, Rosethorn began to weave through the battling cats, towards the HighRock, to where Flamesoul had said he'd seen the spider web.

Before she was even within countable tail-lengths of the silky web, Rosethorn felt a powerful blow in the top of her head – one so strong it pushed her head down to the earth.

She shook herself, and slowly raised her sapphire gaze, to see the cat that had been so outside of the Warrior Code that he had dared to strike a medicine cat. She blinked, as she recognized the black cat with a white tail-tip. Spruceleaf!

She squeaked, and didn't have any time to retaliate, as he unbalanced her with a single swipe of his paw. When she felt to her side, Spruceleaf took the moment to give Rosethorn's flank a furious fray of slashes.

She batted vainly at Spruceleaf's paws, hoping to knock the ShadowClan cat off its feet, and onto the ground. This seemed to only anger Spruceleaf, because the enemy warrior used its strength to turn Rosethorn onto her back, to attack viciously at the medicine cat's underbelly.

Rosethorn writhed with the pain, and wracked her brain for a good defense, before she realized she didn't have to: a blue-gray blur zipped onto Spruceleaf, and seemed to balance on their shoulders, before they clawed viciously at the ShadowClan cat's ears. Rosethorn cringed, when a piece of ear landed on her muzzle.

Spruceleaf looked up at Twilightfur, and curled his upper lip into a snarl. "Traitor!" he spat, making Rosethorn remember that Twilightfur had received her warrior name in ShadowClan.

"Traitor to what?" Twilightfur sneered, looking down at Spruceleaf curiously. "ShadowClan? A Clan filled with sick, twisted _beasts _that don't know enough of the Warrior Code to know that medicine cats are not to be attacked?"

Rosethorn noticed Spruceleaf look at her in horror, and she couldn't help but wonder if the ShadowClan cat had even known what he had been doing.

Twilightfur blinked. "I ran from ShadowClan because I saw first paw how cruel every single one of you are. But now it's ShadowClan's turn to run from _me_!" Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder about what Twilightfur had seen in ShadowClan (maybe Goldclaw's cruelty to her brother?) as Twilightfur somehow – Rosethorn didn't see how – flipped Spruceleaf over. The ShadowClan cat, terror filled, then took the liberty to retreat.

Twilightfur watched Spruceleaf go, before she asked Rosethorn, "Are you alright? Should I get Flamesoul?"

The very thought!

"No, I'm fine." She meowed briskly.

Twilightfur looked like she didn't believe Rosethorn's statement, but finally shrugged her shoulders, and stormed towards her next opponent.

Rosethorn made it to the Cobweb, and was about to grab it in her jaws for Baykit, when she heard a furious yowl – which made her turn her head. Her heart thudded, when she saw an ebony-colored cat flying towards her. She cringed, expecting the enemy to begin to fight her like she was a warrior – but it didn't make it.

She felt a feeling of warmth rise in her chest, as she saw Thorntail sitting firmly on top of the black ShadowClan warrior.

"Marshclaw – that's what your Clanmate called you, yes?" Thorntail asked curiously, looking down at the cat under his paws with an air of indifference. "Do you know what you tried to do?"

Rosethorn didn't have time to make the connection of the name 'Marshclaw' as Ebonypaw's hopefully-long-past crush snarled up at Thorntail.

"Are you so daft that you don't know how to answer a simple question?" Thorntail asked with a small sigh. "ShadowClan cats are all brawn, no brains. I knew it. I guess I'll answer for you: That's a medicine cat. Now, I don't know if your mentor, who was probably as daft as you, ever taught you this…but it's against the Warrior Code to harm medicine cats, even if said medicine cat is just as daft as one of those dogs Twolegs walk around with on leashes." Rosethorn flinched at the insult.

"Now, Marshclaw, I want you to apologize to Rosethorn." Was that sarcasm in Thorntail's voice?

Marshclaw didn't answer; he just stared with horror at Rosethorn, as if shocked at what he had tried to do.

"You don't like using your tongue much, do you, Marshclaw?" Thorntail asked, and Rosethorn couldn't help but feel a shiver crawl up her spine, as she realized that Thorntail had used the same tone when he had threatened Rabbitfur. "Well, sine you don't want to use it, I shall rip it out. Biting it off would be disgusting, so I will have to cut it out with my claws. It'll be painful…but you really don't need it, now do you? Now…Marshclaw, open your mouth."

"Thorntail, stop it!" Rosethorn cried, flattening her ears against her head.

A few dawn ago, if Rosethorn had said that to him, Thorntail would have stopped what he was doing in just a jumble of heartbeats. This time, Thorntail seemed deaf to Rosethorn's pleas. "Open your mouth, Marshclaw… I can open it myself, if you like, but I might break your jaw in the process. We wouldn't want that to happen, now would we? No tongue _and_ a broken jaw? I don't want to give your medicine cat so much trouble." Thorntail looked thoughtful. "In fact, I always thought that Shadedhope was sort of nice. I wouldn't want to give her all this trouble of stopping the bleeding where your tongue should be… Well, I'll save Shadedhope some work. I'll just kill you, and be done with it."

"Thorntail!" Rosethorn cried, her voice a pitiful screech – and as loud as she could get it, as Thorntail opened his mouth to dig his fangs into Marshclaw's neck. As loud as her yowl was, it was drowned out by another yowling the same thing.

Ebonypaw pounded forward, her night-colored pelt bristling as she stared at Marshclaw for a brief moment, before meowing, "…Thorntail, you can't kill Marshclaw! I…he's…I love…The Warrior Code! Killing Marshclaw is against the Warrior Code!"

"I don't want to follow that today," Thorntail meowed cheekily. "Always 'don't do this' and 'don't do that' and 'be loyal to your Clan, no matter what.'" He shook his head. "Tomorrow, Ebonypaw, but not today."

Panic flared in Ebonypaw's emerald eyes. "Thorntail, don't!" the tiny she-cat's limbs started to shake. "Please, don't!"

Thorntail hesitated for a moment, and looked hungrily down at Marshclaw, and then at Ebonypaw, before he shrugged his shoulders. "I'd like to kill something more challenging, anyway…" he lumbered off of Marshclaw – who instantly scampered away.

Ebonypaw flashed Thorntail a grateful glance, before she padded over to Icepelt, who seemed to have fallen into unconsciousness. Rosethorn knew in the back of her mind that she should grab the cobweb, and run to Baykit, but against what she knew what was right, she stayed rooted to her spot. It suddenly hit her.

"Thorntail, you saved my life." She breathed. Did that mean that…he had already forgotten about their argument? Did it? Hope fluttered like a butterfly in her chest.

"I'd save the life of any of my Clanmates," Thorntail growled, narrowing his sapphire eyes into slits. "What's more, a few moons ago I promised to protect you. And that promise will stand as long as I am living in ThunderClan."

His tone was so cold, so indifferent. The butterfly was eaten by a frog, as Thorntail's eyes lit up, and he somehow got into a brawl between two of the greatest ShadowClan warriors: the leader, Smokestar and the deputy, Ravenfeather.

Rosethorn watched him for a few moments, her heart breaking in two as she realized that Thorntail was walking out of her life: Forever.

Thorntail didn't seem to care about Ravenfeather at all, and kept knocking her away simply, while he kept trying to fight Smokestar. Rosethorn knew why: According to Thorntail, Smokestar had always despised him… it was a personal fight.

But…if Smokestar really hated Thorntail, as the gray tom had claimed…why didn't he fight back? Rosethorn blinked; slightly confused, as she noticed Smokestar nimbly dodging every single one of Thorntail's blows…and even had his claws sheathed. Smokestar wasn't attacking, he was defending! Why didn't he take out his anger and frustration of losing his mate on Thorntail?

Rosethorn couldn't terry on that long, and she literally had to tear her gaze away from Thorntail to grab the cobwebs and rush into the nursery to aid Baykit.

…

Blackshadow just barely dodged a ferocious blow from the ShadowClan she-cat. Her black pelt was bristling, as she aimed another slash with her single white paw – and this time, it just missed Blackshadow by a mere whisker. Blackshadow hated to admit it, but Nightstorm of ShadowClan was a fierce fighter.

Suddenly, behind the ShadowClan she-cat, Blackshadow was able to catch the eye of Beakpaw, as the apprentice began to measure the distance between himself and Nightstorm. Blackshadow instantly knew that Badgerclaw's apprentice was planning to attack Nightstorm from behind, and for a moment, he felt the need to warn Nightstorm, because such an act was dishonorable. Then he decided against it, as he remembered Stormpool's attack on him. If ShadowClan wanted to fight outside the boundaries of the Warrior Code, then ThunderClan could too.

Blackshadow continued to dodge Nightstorm's blows, careful to keep her busy, so Beakpaw could have enough time to do…whatever he was planning.

Blackshadow let out a hiss of fury, as he attempted to leap out of the way of another power-filled slash from Nightstorm, only to slip on the disgustingly-potent scent of Tiberkit's rain-making abilities. He prepared himself for Nightstorm to take advantage of his weakness – but Beakpaw's attack came just in time.

He had to stifle a purr of joy, as Beakpaw drew all his weight onto his front legs, and gave Nightstorm a furious kick with his back legs – sending the she-cat flying, literally tail-lengths away.

Blackshadow watched her, a feeling of amusement rising in his chest as he saw Nightstorm look around, as if stunned from the seemingly-out-of-nowhere attack from Beakpaw, before she scurried from the camp.

Blackshadow glanced at Beakpaw, his whiskers twitching with pride. "You fought like a warrior…" he announced. "Except for the dishonorable attack from behind…"

"ShadowClan cats were doing the same thing, why shouldn't I?" Beakpaw questioned, cocking his head to one side. Blackshadow grunted agreement, and swept his gaze across the Clan, a feeling of relief welling inside him as he realized tat most – if not all – the ShadowClan intruders had left the camp.

"Blackshadow!"

Blackshadow glanced at Beakpaw curiously, wondering what the silly apprentice was yowling about now, before he felt something hard pound him in the side hard, sending him tumbling to the earth… He felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, before he stumbled into blackness.

…

"He's dead. Oh, StarClan, Blackshadow's dead!"

"Dead? Ebonypaw, he's breathing. Dead cats don't breath."

"Yeah _huh, _Rosethorn I was talking to Rockyheart of ShadowClan that one time at HighStones, and she told me about this Clanmate of hers, whose name was Bluehope, and, like, her head fell off, but she was still breathing!"

"What is _with_ your obsession with cats' heads falling off? In my whole reign as medicine cat, no cat under my care ever lost their head! Besides, Rockyheart was probably just pulling your tail. When their heads fall off, they die, and no longer breathe."

"Tell that to Bluehope."

Blackshadow's ears pricked, as he heard the two feminine voices arguing with each other. He couldn't see…why couldn't he see? Was he blind?

"Bluehope?" he was able to figure out that it was Rosethorn's skeptical mew. "Doesn't that sound suspiciously like a mixed name between Blueherb and Shadedhope? Rockyheart was playing around – you can tell, because she clearly made that name up on the spot."

"Wait…Rosethorn; did you say that you never had a cat under your care lose their head?" Ebonypaw's younger voice. Definitely…

"That's exactly what I said." Rosethorn's voice was an annoyed sigh.

"Then how, may I ask, would you know if they stop breathing if their head falls off?"

"My mentor told me so."

"No I didn't," Flamesoul's rumbling voice muttered.

"Well, you should've."

"But Ebonypaw might be right. If only half-right. Don't kittypets have these things called cutters that-" Flamesoul was cut off by a brisk hiss from Rosethorn.

"Take away their tomness?"

"Yes, Rosethorn, but I think they also heal diseases as well, if not better, than we do."

"How would you know that?"

Flamesoul let out a rumbling purr. "Have you ever seen a sick kittypet?_ Something_ heals them. I bet it's the cutter. And I bet you a quarter-moon's worth of prey that a cutter could somehow make the cat live a normal life – if not a happy one – without their head."

Ebonypaw let out an indignant snort. "That's not what I mean, you two! I _mean_ that Bluehope was definitely dead, but was still breathing!"

"I think the only way that we will be able to settle this debate is if we go decapitate some innocent cat…" Rosethorn mumbled.

Flamesoul sighed. "We should have had this conversation before ShadowClan left. I'm sure one of ThunderClan's warriors would be glad to take the head off of on of the intruders."

"We could ambush a kittypet, and rip of their head." Ebonypaw pointed out helpfully.

Blackshadow suddenly remembered that he could speak. "I agree with Rosethorn…" he announced.

"Blackshadow, you're alive!" he felt Ebonypaw dig her muzzle affectionately into his side. "Flamesoul and Rosethorn said you were dead, but I said that you were breathing and therefore still had all four paws in ThunderClan, and not in StarClan!"

If Blackshadow wasn't so panicked about his not seeing, he would've been able to see the humor in Ebonypaw's lie. As it was, he looked to where Rosethorn's voice came from. "…Rosethorn, why can't I see?"

He heard Ebonypaw purr with amusement. "Because your eyes are closed, mouse-brain!"

Blackshadow felt himself turn red underneath his fur, and he blinked open his amber eyes. He had expected to find himself in Rosethorn's…_Flamesoul's _den, but instead, he discovered himself lying on his back, with his belly raised to the sky, in the middle of the ThunderClan camp.

"What happened?" he mumbled, rolling onto his paws.

"A ShadowClan warrior, I think it was Toadfur…" Ebonypaw looked thoughtful, before she went on, "Well, anyways, he ran into you, you fell over, and you bumped your head real hard on the earth, and then you fell unconscious…I think."

Blackshadow shook himself. "…Well…how long was I out? And what happened?"

Ebonypaw's green eyes rounded, as she began to spill out the whole tale – while injured ThunderClan warriors began to gather around the two fully trained medicine cats. "Well, from my position with Ma…Ma….Maplekit just outside of camp-"

Blackshadow blinked. "There isn't a Maplekit."

"I know. She was a…RiverClan kit who wandered over the border. Don't worry – I sent her straight back. Anyways, from my position outside of camp with uh... Maplekit, I was just able to see through the broken bramble-barriers you fall unconscious. Beakpaw wasted no time in chasing Toadfur outside of camp…and then he ran off to…well, I don't know or care. But what I do know is that I saw Thorntail fighting both the ShadowClan leader and deputy! He gave him one of these…" Ebonypaw swiped her claws into the air, "And one of these…" she bite an imaginary enemy with her jaws, "And a bunch of _these_…" she broke out in a whirlwind of swipes. "Anyways, eventually Smokestar seemed to get tired, and he yowled out to his few remaining warriors that ThunderClan had learned their lesson, and that it was time to go. Then they all left – but I know it was really because Smokestar was having so much trouble with Thorntail. In fact, I saw Smokestar get really still for the battle for a little while…I think he lost a life."

Blackshadow's whiskers twitched in awe. He had missed ThunderClan's victory! Even so, he knew it was quite the win.

…

Rosethorn listened with vague interest as Ebonypaw relayed the tale of how Thorntail saved ThunderClan to Blackshadow. She knew that it was half-true…but she couldn't help but wonder why Smokestar hadn't tried a single offensive move on Thorntail. Thorntail had no trouble trying to spill Smokestar's blood…but Smokestar had seemed too reluctant…

Rosethorn wished she could ask Thorntail…but…

She felt a peculiar empty feeling in the pit of her stomach, as she realized that she had hurt Thorntail too much in choosing Flamesoul and her birth Clan, over him.

She looked up from placing the cobwebs on Icepelt's shoulder, and glanced nervously at Flamesoul. The kindle-pelted tomcat paid her no attention, and was busy wrapping Beakpaw's injured tail with cobwebs.

Beakpaw muttered something about his tail attacking the ShadowClan camp in the middle of the night – but Rosethorn didn't pay any attention to it. She just stared at Flamesoul.

Flamesoul had, truly saved Baykit's life. The poor little kit would've bled to death, if he hadn't come into the den at that very moment. It had never even occurred to Rosethorn that there might be cobwebs in the camp – and Flamesoul had kept Applefur's young daughter alive while Rosethorn ran to get the more-efficient cobwebs by using clumps of his own fur to slow the bleeding. She couldn't help but wonder if she ever would have thought of that. Flamesoul was a fine medicine cat, skilled at healing, and able to think past the herbs…he would be an asset to ThunderClan. Rosethorn had made the right decision in allowing Streamstar to let him rejoin the Clan… but…if that were true, why did she feel so bad? Every time he spoke, she remembered those terror-filled days – and, more often, nights – as an apprentice, fearful not of foxes, badgers, or enemy warriors, but of her own mentor.

She shuddered. She had been able to speak fairly to him, when the three medicine cats had had the conversation about dead cats breathing, but it had taken all her strength. She needed to put on a happy face for Ebonypaw and the Clan, or else they might get suspicious. But she wasn't that strong… she was beginning to doubt that she'd be able to live every day, knowing that the tom that had… done terrible things to her was sleeping in the very same den as her.

She sent Icepelt on her way, and began to treat Badgerclaw's wounds, as she listened on the conversation going on between Twilightfur and Flamesoul.

"Ouch, that hurts…don't press so hard… Anyways, Flamesoul, you look familiar." Twilightfur's voice sounded as if she was speaking between her teeth, and Rosethorn wondered how badly injured the former ShadowClan she-cat had been. "Did you happen to be…uh…'acquainted' with a she-cat named Tawnyleaf?"

"I have to press hard, Twilightfur, otherwise the cobwebs won't stick. Anyways…Tawnyleaf? Hmm…yes. I knew her when she was a medicine cat apprentice." Flamesoul's meow sounded distracted. "Why?"

"It doesn't matter why!" Twilightfur snapped coolly. "Did you…like Tawnyleaf?"

"No, in fact, I _dis_liked her."

Rosethorn pricked her ears. Who was Tawnyleaf? Why did Twilightfur seem to care about her so much? And if Tawnyleaf had trained as a medicine cat, like Flamesoul said, how come Rosethorn had never heard of her? Though…the name did sound familiar.

She looked over her shoulder, so curious to what the two cats were talking about.

At Flamesoul's announcement that he hated Tawnyleaf, Twilightfur's blue eyes glittered with joy. "You have good taste," she admitted. "I could grow to like you, Flamesoul."

"I'm happy to hear that, and am very flattered by your praise. Now get out of my sight, you lazy oaf! I need to look at Aquapaw's wounds."

"I take that back," Twilightfur meowed coolly. "I don't like you. I like you _a lot_." With a joking, flirtatious flutter of the eyes, Twilightfur padded over to Badgerclaw – who Rosethorn also sent on his way.

A few more cats started to pad towards Flamesoul and Rosethorn – Shrewtail, Gingerpaw, Dusktail, Sandpelt, and Morningpaw, namely.

"I'll look after them." Ebonypaw announced, before forcing the injured warriors to get in a line in front of her, because she could only work on one cat at a time, and she 'didn't want mouse-brained warriors gathering around her all at once!'

Rosethorn gave Swiftfoot – who had, in fact, fought – a few poppy seeds for his pain, as Flamesoul, at the same time, pressed cobwebs on Thorntail's wounds.

Her heart pounded, just knowing that the gray warrior who had protected her for so long was just tail-lengths away.

"Great StarClan, Thorntail, look at all this blood!" Flamesoul gasped.

"Most of it is ShadowClan blood," Thorntail announced proudly. "It's been awhile since I was able to go crazy in a battle and not worry about the consequences of a scolding from…someone." Rosethorn knew who that someone was, and she felt a pain in her stomach. Thorntail was the only cat who could hurt her in such a way. The only one…

"However, Flamespirit…" Thorntail began,

"Flame_soul_,"

"Flame_soul_," Thorntail rolled his eyes. "I know I am bleeding on my left flank and my lower neck…" As Flamesoul began to press the cobwebs on the appropriate areas, Thorntail began to make small talk – so it seemed. "I like she-cats."

"Thanks for the information…" Flamesoul murmured, probably not paying a smidge of attention.

"But, you know…" Thorntail continued, "I usually go after ones around my own age. Maybe a little older, maybe a little younger… The youngest cat I've ever tried to get was Morningpaw, and all we did was hunt together. I think she's too young – now I have a limit. She started to go _insane_ when I suggested to her about mating." Rosethorn closed her eyes, and felt her legs get weak. Thorntail was already…moving on? "

Thorntail continued, "I really was in the mood, but I didn't force her or anything." Flamesoul stopped pressing the cobwebs, and met Thorntail's fierce sapphire gaze with his own emerald. "I think, to force a she-cat into anything like that would be morally wrong. She-cats have boundaries, and you must respect them. If you pad after them long enough, eventually they give in and, in fact, invite you to take them as your mate. Of course, there are _rare_ circumstances that she never invites you..." Thorntail glanced at Rosethorn then, before going back to his conversation with Flamesoul. "But even so, they have a right to say 'no'. And you know, Flamesoul… I think toms that force mating on a she-cat give all of us fun-seekers a bad name. If I ever meet a cat who did that to a she-cat, I think I would have to kill him." Thorntail blinked in a friendly way. "You're done with the cobwebs, right? Good. I need to go speak to Badgerclaw now…"

Thorntail got to his paws to leave, but stopped when he heard – just as Rosethorn did – the ceremonial call from on top of the HighRock, where Streamstar sat.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here, beneath the HighRock for a Clan meeting."

Rosethorn began to pad towards the HighRock, keeping her gaze locked onto the gray tom's pelt the whole time – even as she settled down beside Applefur and Ebonypaw. When she had still been an apprentice, she had told Blackshadow that just being near Thorntail was enough for her. That warm aura he had…so protective…so assuring… Rosethorn, as Rosepaw, had liked that, and it had been true: She had just needed to be near Thorntail to be happy.

Now, it wasn't so simple. Being near him didn't bring her the same satisfaction, now that she knew what it was like for him to acknowledge her presence… to love her, wrap himself around her, protect her – _truly_ protect her, put his heart and soul into it… She loved him. She _needed _him. She needed him now more than ever.

Because, though she had never been able to put it into a full sentence when speaking to Thorntail, she did love him. She did. And now that he was gone, Rosethorn felt that half of her being had gone with him.

"ShadowClan's attack against us failed," Streamstar began, her voice showered with authority. "But that is not to say that they will not try again, with more warriors…I want double the patrols on that border – and if even an apprentice accidentally chases a rabbit into our borders, I want their blood spilt!"

Rosethorn flinched. Why was every cat in this Clan so bloodthirsty? And didn't it occur to Streamstar that killing innocent apprentices would make ShadowClan even angrier!

"Oh, I'll just have Twilightfur sit there night and day!" Sandpelt purred jokingly, glancing at her friend. "She is border _crazed_! I bet, not only would she kill the apprentice, she would kill the ShadowClan rabbit for trespassing as well!"

The Clan let out amused purrs at Sandpelt's joke.

Streamstar's blue eyes glowed – even under her still-blood-stained white pelt. "Yes, Twilightfur is an expert at guarding boundaries, isn't she?" Streamstar looked thoughtful. "We must make use of her talents. Twilightfur, I want _you _to organize the border patrols for ThunderClan, while Sandpelt is injured an unable to perform her duties." Rosethorn blinked, and glanced curiously at Sandpelt. She flinched, when she saw that the deputy's leg was twisted. It wasn't permanent, she could tell even from her distance, but it would still be a bother for her to get from one half of the camp to the other, let alone patrols.

"I am very pleased with how ThunderClan drove ShadowClan back. None of our warriors went to StarClan, and besides slight injures, we are as powerful as ever!" Streamstar waited for the yowls of agreement to die down, before she went on, "I must mention Thorntail who fought very bravely against the ShadowClan invaders – he was able to chase numerous of their more powerful warriors away, and thus chip away at the younger warriors' moral. In fact, he had the bravery…"

"Or insanity," Beakpaw interrupted.

"…to take on both Ravenfeather and Smokestar in a fight." Streamstar finished, ignoring Beakpaw's interruption.

For a moment, an eerie hush of awe fell across the cats of ThunderClan. Every single head that belonged to a member of the Clan of sky – Rosethorn's included – turned towards the gray cat, who was looking around with surprise, pride, and joy glittering in his sapphire eyes.

As if on some sort of cue, at the same time every ThunderClan cat began to yowl out Thorntail's name at the top of their lungs:

"Thorntail! Thorntail! Thorntail! Thorntail!"

Thorntail didn't seem to believe that his somewhat-crazed way of fighting was getting his name yowled out, and he glanced at Swiftfoot, his former mentor, flicking his tail to himself as if to ask 'Do they really mean me?' To which, his Clanmates, amused by his 'modesty' yowled out his name louder.

"Thorntail! Thorntail! Thorntail! Thorntail!"

Rosethorn stifled a purr of amusement, and forgot all the pain she was going through because of the gray cat, as he stumbled around in awe like a newborn kit. She knew that this was one of Thorntail's numerous dreams, and she guessed he had doubted it would ever actually come true – Streamstar had given Thorntail a huge honor, in naming the feats he performed in the battle. Or, maybe, he was just pretending to be modest and surprised to make them yowl louder. Either way that was what happened.

She had forgotten his words of never calling him her mate again, and had actually begun to pad over to him to congratulate him personally, when she saw something that instantly jolted her memory. On one side of Thorntail, was the white she-cat named Icepelt, pressing her muzzle against his fur affectionately. On the other side of him, was Morningpaw, possibly forgetting how he had scared her earlier, stretching her to lick his ears affectionately. Rosethorn wasn't sure if Morningpaw and Icepelt were aware of the other's presence, but it told her enough. Thorntail had, as he had stated before, moved on.

"Thorntail," Shrewtail padded towards the gray cat, and then dipped his head – something that shocked Rosethorn. "You know, I take back all those things I said about you being disloyal. I still think that you're crazy, but you're loyal nonetheless. Besides, we need some more crazy cats. Only a cat totally out of their mind would fight Smokestar and Ravenfeather at the same time!"

Rosethorn blinked in surprise. Shrewtail had been one of the only cats that had dared to taunt Thorntail about his mucky heritage…and now; even Shrewtail would lay off the taunts.

"Loyal?" Thorntail echoed, staring blankly at Shrewtail for a moment. "You know, you have absolutely no idea how ironic it is that you said that tonight. You see I plan to betray…"

"For StarClan's sakes, just accept the compliment!" Shrewtail snapped cutting Thorntail off, before he padded back to sit alongside Badgerclaw and Twilightfur.

"Ugh! Get away from me you rotten piece of fox-dung!"

Ebonypaw's voice. Rosethorn turned her head sharply, half expecting to see Flamesoul grooming her – the other half knowing that Flamesoul wouldn't be mousebrained enough to try anything with all of ThunderClan gathered around.

No, Flamesoul was staring up at Streamstar beside Sandpelt and Swiftfoot, listening calmly to the announcements she continued to give – the ones that Rosethorn were ignoring. However, Beakpaw, on the other paw, was sniffing Ebonypaw suspiciously.

"I'm sorry." Beakpaw apologized, backing up.

"Why were you sniffing me like that?" Ebonypaw flared.

Beakpaw clearly didn't want to answer, but at the medicine cat apprentice's intense glare, he sighed, "Aquapaw and I wanted to eh... _celebrate_ our victory tonight, by doing some…'warrior things' together. But she isn't in uh…heat…so I needed to find a she-cat that was, to get me…ready."

"That's disgusting, Beakpaw!" Ebonypaw snapped. "…And why did you think I would be in heat?!"

"Because!" Beakpaw growled, clearly getting annoyed at the night-colored she-cat. He flicked his tail at the moon. "Usually, when the moon only has a quarter of it missing, you are!"

"Why did you notice something like that about a medicine cat?"

"I can't help it! When I talk to you, I smell it! I'm sorry, I know this was rude of me…but you didn't have to make a big fuss... And…besides…why aren't you um…you know…this moon?"

"None of your business!" Ebonypaw snarled. "So I missed one moon! It doesn't mean anything! Nothing at all! So don't go sticking your muzzle in my business!"

Beakpaw seemed to want to argue, but he shrugged his shoulders and let the matter drop - possibly deciding that it was a she-cat thing. Rosethorn looked at Ebonypaw curiously. She never really noticed the scents that she-cats gave off that aroused tomcats, but it was true: Ebonypaw usually did go into heat around when the moon only had a quarter missing, like Beakpaw had said. Was Ebonypaw really just… being irregular, like she tried to say? Or…

"That being said," Streamstar's mew got even louder and more commanding, forcing Rosethorn to pay attention to her mother. "Beakpaw, Morningpaw, and Aquapaw: Step forward."

Rosethorn breathed in. The only reason Streamstar would call apprentices to the HighRock, would be to make them warriors! All troubles aside, Rosethorn felt a tingle of excitement.

"Blackshadow!" before going to the HighRock, the young tortoiseshell rushed towards her mentor – who Rosethorn just noticed was beside her – before Morningpaw asked, "…I thought you said I wouldn't be made a warrior with Aquapaw and Beakpaw!"

Blackshadow gave Morningpaw a fake cuff on the ear. "That was before." He pointed out. "Remember when you helped us take down that badger? Your skills were amazing! And that hunting contest Sandpelt put you on – she told me you caught quite a load of prey! And then when you chased off that fully grown ShadowClan warrior that was at _leas_t twice your size…" Blackshadow shook his head. "There's no way I could keep you from receiving your warrior name! No, Morningpaw, go! You must take your rightful place as a warrior of the Clan." He gave his apprentice a brief lick on the ear, which made Morningpaw's pale green eyes light up. She pressed her muzzle in Blackshadow's side lovingly – the only show of affection that Morningpaw had ever given her mentor – before she padded towards the HighRock, to stand beside her sister, and Beakpaw.

"I, Streamstar, leader of ThunderClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these apprentices." Streamstar began, her blue eyes skimming first Aquapaw, then Morningpaw, then Beakpaw. "They have trained hard to understand your noble code, and I commend them to you in their turn." She narrowed her eyes. "Beakpaw, Aquapaw, Morningpaw do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code, to protect and defend this Clan even at the cost of your own life?"

"I do!" Morningpaw burst out, without a moment's hesitation.

Aquapaw's limbs were shaking – as was her voice, as she meowed, "I…I…I do."

Beakpaw, possibly just to better his two denmates, meowed in a calm level voice, "I do."

Streamstar nodded. "Morningpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Morninglight. StarClan honors your spirit and independence, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." She took a step off of the HighRock, to rest her muzzle on Morninglight's head – to which, Morninglight returned with a small lick on the shoulder.

Streamstar turned her attention to Aquapaw, who was still shaking. "Aquapaw, from this moment on, you shall be known as Aquamist. StarClan honors your strength and determination, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Streamstar then laid her muzzle on the top of Aquamist's head, and the young warrior gave her leader a quick lick on the shoulder.

Streamstar's crisp blue eyes laid lastly on Beakpaw. "Beakpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Beakclaw. StarClan honors your loyalty and faith, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Streamstar laid her muzzle on top of Beakclaw's head, and the youngest tom-warrior in the Clan gave her shoulder a quick lick.

Morninglight turned proudly to her Clanmates, and swished her tail delicately, as if saying pointedly to all the toms that she was, in fact, ready for a mate now. Aquamist and Beakclaw – the two apprentices that had been the most decorated – stood side by side, their pelts brushing, and looked at their Clanmates in awe – both of them knowing that this was their first time looking at them as warriors.

Rosethorn threw her voice into the mix, as the whole Clan yowled out the new warriors' names. "Morninglight! Aquamist! Beakclaw! Morninglight! Aquamist! Beakclaw! Morninglight! Aquamist! Beakclaw!" Rosethorn couldn't help but notice that Ebonypaw's voice was one of the loudest as she cheered for her two sisters, Aquamist and Morninglight, and Blackshadow was a close second, as he was cheering his half-brother, Beakclaw, and his former apprentice.

Rosethorn couldn't help but realize that none of these cats' mothers had seen them be made into warriors. Beakclaw's mother, Flowertail, had died just a half moon ago, and Morninglight and Aquamist's mother, Turtlefeather, had fallen to The Blood.

Rosethorn noticed, as Beakclaw and Aquamist settled themselves down for their vigil, that their tails were intertwined. She cringed, and suddenly imagined Beakclaw lunging at Aquamist and… doing things to her.

She looked away. Why was it, that whenever she saw a tom and a she-cat together, she felt it would end in violence? Surely it wasn't. Not all toms were like Flamesoul. Not every one. Beakclaw was a fine and noble ThunderClan appr- warrior...

…

Blackshadow looked at Morningpaw – no, Morning_light _with pride. His first apprentice had gotten her warrior name! And an unusual name at that. He supposed that was best, considering Morninglight was in no way a normal apprentice. She had been rowdy, rambunctious, ignorant, and, at times it seemed, a mousebrain. But, Blackshadow knew that she had earned her warrior name. Maybe Morninglight hadn't learned her skills through mentoring…as was traditional. In fact, Blackshadow had no clue where Morninglight had learned anything, since she certainly had never responded in their training sessions. He supposed she had gained experience on her own, wandering around the forest, and teaching herself the basics – just as loners did.

Morninglight padded to the center of the clearing, with Beakclaw and Aquamist in toe, as they prepared for their Warrior's vigil. Blackshadow couldn't help but feel relieved that those three were guarding the camp: Blackshadow had been on guard duty tonight, and he knew he wouldn't have been able to stay awake – he was exhausted after the battle!

The ThunderClan cats started to disperse – some deciding to eat from the fresh-kill pile, some going to badger the three medicine cats, and some – who Blackshadow wanted to join soon – just disappeared into the Warrior's den, to take their well-deserved rest.

Blackshadow got to his paws to go and do just that, when he felt a tail lay on his shoulder. He glanced at the cat it belonged to, and gave a curt nod to Thorntail.

"Hello," Blackshadow purred. "I'm sorry I didn't get to see your dramatic battle between Ravenfeather and Smokestar. I bet you really sent them running."

"Yeah." Thorntail was shuffling his paws, and not making some haughty, smug remark. Who was this cat, and what had they done with the Thorntail who had been accepting ThunderClan's gift of honor? "Uh…Blackshadow, I need to tell you something. I felt I should, since you're the only cat who would really give two mouse-tails."

"That's not true!" Blackshadow snapped. "Thorntail, when are you going to understand that you have a lot of cats in ThunderClan who would give their lives for you! Ebonypaw, Applefur, Badgerclaw, Rosethorn…" Blackshadow bit his tongue. Why had he said Rosethorn? He knew she wasn't Thorntail's mate anymore!

"I think I just got ThunderClan to be loyal to me…" Thorntail agreed thoughtfully, "…but the problem is…I don't feel loyal to ThunderClan anymore."

Blackshadow's blood ran cold. Thorntail…didn't feel loyal to his Clan?! The word _traitor_ was yowled in Blackshadow's ear.

"I felt I should tell you," Thorntail repeated, "that this is probably the last time we'll ever speak to one another as Clanmates…Blackshadow, tonight, I'm crossing the RiverClan border to meet up with Owlpelt and Puddlespots. I'm going to leave ThunderClan for RiverClan."

* * *

**Oh, Blackshadow and Thorntail argue about it in the next chapter - so we do see Blackshadow's reaction. Oh, my foreshadowing abilities worked! Most of you saw that hinted! -huggles you all- **

**Anyways, if you review you get...a...Oh look, Beakclaw appeared. Review, and you get a Beakclaw plushie! YAY, BEAKCLAW A NEW WARRIOR THAT WE KNOW VIRTUALLY NOTHING ABOUT OTHER THAN THAT HE THINKS HIS TAIL WILL CONQUERE FOR FOREST, THAT HE SHARES THE SAME MOTHER AS BLACKSHADOW, THAT HIS FATHER IS SHREWTAIL, HIS MENTOR WAS BADGERCLAW, AND HIS MATE IS AQUAMIST... Wow. We know more about him than I thought. But it's still not enough to make you really care about him: And guess what, he's a backround noise character - kind of like Runningwind. Not really needed at all! But that's okay. He is still a plushie. Who wants him? **

**(And I hope you guys like the names I gave Aquamist, Morninglight, and Beakclaw. Aquamist's name was chosen by Mapleleaf, by the way, to give her proper credit! And I was in love with the names 'Beakclaw' and 'Morninglight' when I first gave them their apprentice names - and when Morninglight was introduced as a kit...) **


	21. Chapter 20

**Just under 11 pages. YAY! It's not a monster! But it will be after I answer all your reviews: **

**Dawnfeather - Ebonypool...hmmm...**

**Silversnow of the Moors - It is a romance fic. -gives cookie- **

**Flamepelt's Wrath - Thorntail kinda-sorta explains his reasoning in this chapter...but...not really. **

**Peachfoot - Yes, I like that name too. Morninglight. Not to be too cocky, but I think it has a nice ring to it. **

**Rabbitstorm - I liked your review! THANKS!**

**Spottedmoon - Shadenight has Owlpelt, and reminds Thorntail of bad memories - like stealing her from Graywhisker - But another pairing may spark up...unless Rosethorn can work her magic!**

**Daklotles85 - I think you were the only reviewer to catch the fact that Tiberkit's careless peeing almost killed Blackshadow. I didn't describe it well enough! -sniff- Ah, well. That's life. At least you caught it. Or...did you? -narrows eyes-**

**xx-secrets-xx - I'm glad you're not mad. -huggles- **

**Strangefur - I thought of naming Beakclaw, Beaktail instead...I really did throw it around in my head...but you know, ThunderClan has/had many-a Somethingtails already. Thorntail, Flowertail, Dusktail, Shrewtail... just too many. I wanted to add some variety. Anyways, thanks for the grammar tip - I do try to use them, but sometimes I slip up! I'll have to fix that... Anyways, yes, I used Flyingeagle. And YES, you did spot Deadgrass. I didn't think you would, but that tan cat...was Deadgrass. YAY:)**

**Skysong-Brooksilver - Find out. :D**

**xXBrambleclawXx - All is explained soon. **

**lmblovesmilk - I read everyone's reviews. -smacks- :)**

**Starsnow of Eveclan - It was odd, but it foreshadowed something...it was the strongest hint to the obvious Ebonypaw thing... And I could've put in 'Aquapaw and I wanted to go mate' instead of 'Aquapaw and I wanted to go do warrior things' but...it's all about the same. I needed to give Beakclaw a reason to sniff Ebonypaw like that. xD **

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Your awesomness can't be described. Anyways... Flamesoul's a medicine cat. He wasn't going to downright refuse to help the kit... He's a ra- you know. But he's not a murderer...or _is _he? -thinks- I dunno. **

**Steeltalon- RosethornxFlamesoul... yes, it is very wrong. But I can only speak one language...so... I'll just put it in all caps: WRONG! **

**The Twitcherz - Thanks for the review! **

**Wow. That was hard. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm disappointed in it - not as emotional as it should've been - but I hope you forgive me...**

**Enjoy, **

* * *

"I felt I should tell you," Thorntail's voice was a soft rumble, "that this is probably the last time we'll ever speak to one another as Clanmates… Blackshadow, tonight I'm crossing the border to meet up with Owlpelt and Puddlespots. I'm going to leave ThunderClan for RiverClan." 

Blackshadow regarded Thorntail for a moment, the full meaning of his friend's words not clawing him until a few heartbeats of thought. He recalled Owlpelt – that was the annoying minion that Shadenight had had follow her around when she had been padding after Thorntail, and Puddlespots had been a close friend of Thorntail's when he had been in his mother's birth Clan, RiverClan. But…why was he meeting up with them?

Then, the delayed reaction of understanding Thorntail's very blunt and open announcement took over. Blackshadow felt his legs get numb, and he had a peculiar sensation that he was floating off the ground. Then, for the next few heartbeats, he couldn't believe it. Thorntail was leaving ThunderClan? Had he, or had he not just fought tooth and claw to defend it from ShadowClan? Had he, or had he not just – _finally_ – earned the long-deserved trust from every single one of his Clanmates?

Then the surprise melted away, and Blackshadow felt a jolt of rage hit him like lightning. _Thorntail was leaving ThunderClan? _Thorntail was going to _betray_ ThunderClan! Blackshadow knew that Thorntail would waste virtually no time to inform RiverClan of all of ThunderClan's weaknesses – like the recent ShadowClan attack, the breach in the Clan's defensive wall that no cat had ever bothered to fix because the hole was so cleverly hidden, the best place to hunt, and the personal weaknesses of each of the warriors! Like…Twilightfur's almost sick need to defend boundaries, Beakclaw's belief that his tail would conquer the forest and bring down the warrior code, and Blackshadow's own intense fear of ravens!

Blackshadow set aside all of his rage of the treason Thorntail was going to perform…and thought about what this new development would do to his kits. Blazekit. Baykit. Petalkit. Nightkit. Blackshadow had given up his rights as a father to them, not to keep Rosethorn and Thorntail's relationship strong, but to keep Thorntail's honor intact!

_How mouse-brained of me to try! Thorntail doesn't have any honor to protect! _

To make matters worse, if Thorntail went to RiverClan… Blackshadow's kits would be regarded as half-Clan! Would they be _believed_ to have torn loyalties?_ Would_ they have torn loyalties towards the cat who they believed to be their father?

Blackshadow flexed his claws, and narrowed his eyes coldly at the gray tomcat. He felt something awaken within him. "Traitor." Blackshadow was surprised at how cold his tone was.

Thorntail eyed Blackshadow's unsheathed claws curiously, before he meowed, "Yes, I suppose I am…" Thorntail looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything more.

Blackshadow let out a furious hiss at Thorntail's blunt answer – a hiss loud enough that it made the three new warriors keeping vigil, Beakclaw, Morninglight, and Aquamist, turn their heads to see what all the commotion was about.

A heartbeat later they went back to their normal head-position, while at the same time Blackshadow let out a growl, and asked the question that would either redeem Thorntail, or force the black warrior to condemn the gray cat to a bitter former-friend-now-enemy relationship.

"Why?"

Thorntail's carefree air just enlarged the anger that was building up in Blackshadow's chest.

"Why?" Thorntail echoed, flicking his tail dismissively. "I belong in RiverClan, for one thing. That's where my mother was born, that's where I was apprenticed… Truthfully, I doubt that RiverClan even really expected me to stay in ThunderClan forever…" the stone-colored warrior paused for a moment, his sapphire eyes calmly meeting Blackshadow's burning amber. "I never really belonged in ThunderClan… I mastered your gung-ho fighting techniques, and your stalking hunting abilities… but I belong where there is a flowing river. What's more, look what ThunderClan is being led by. A Clan leader, who is definitely doing the best for her Clan, but in doing so, is throwing her daughter thoughtlessly to some… piece of fox dung!" Thorntail spat crossly at the earth. "And then there's Flamesoul… all my superiors are selfish little…"

Blackshadow couldn't contain himself anymore, and cut Thorntail off. "Streamstar and Flamesoul are selfish, are they?" the ebony-colored warrior meowed, his voice as cold as ice. Thorntail looked surprise at both the tone, and the words Blackshadow had used. Confident, Blackshadow went on. "I admit. Streamstar could've handled the situation better, and should've found a different way to keep ThunderClan striving. And Flamesoul…there is _no_ excuse for what he did to Rosethorn. But I just find it odd that you even dare call any cat selfish, Thorntail."

Thorntail curled his lips into a snarl, and opened his mouth to argue, but Blackshadow swept on. "I'd say you're probably Streamstar's deputy when it comes to selfishness. You are selfishly leaving your Clan that has accepted you even though you were not born within it, when it needs you the most in a battle with ShadowClan – that is definitely not over! A battle, mind you, that _you _provoked! _You _are leaving four kits of _mine_ that will be regarded as halfClan – and they will even think_ themselves_ to be half-RiverClan. And most of all, you are leaving Rosethorn! Great StarClan, Thorntail! It's bad enough that you are betraying your Clan, but this is your _mate_!"

Thorntail's legs started to shake, and Blackshadow, suddenly recalling how much more skilled at battle the larger cat was, shrank back. Normally a cat would hold themselves back from attacking a Clanmate so they wouldn't risk rebuke from the Clan leader. But what would Streamstar do? Exile him? Yeah, that would really get under Thorntail's fur.

But Thorntail didn't lunge, he just let out a threatening growl, before he explained, "I _am _betraying ThunderClan. I won't deny that. But, I never asked you, nor Applefur, to name me the father as your kits. That burden was placed on my shoulders by you two. And, Rosethorn is _not my mate_."

"I know." Blackshadow retorted. "Because you're abandoning her. Thorntail, normally, I don't give two mouse-tails who your mate is, or how many there are. But Rosethorn… she _could've been mine_." Thorntail looked at him startled, and Blackshadow's anger ebbed away into shame, as he looked down at his paws, to explain. "I love Applefur, Thorntail, StarClan knows I love her, but sometimes I do wonder…" he trailed off, deciding that this was no time to go into the tangled relationship he and Applefur had – both of them still carrying feelings for another cat.

Blackshadow continued, his voice gaining back that hard edge he was starting to grow accustomed to. "And even if I never had feelings for Rosethorn, she is one of the best friends I have in this Clan. And seeing you abandon her, when she needs you and your protection the most... But, is this really so much of a surprise?" Blackshadow narrowed his eyes coldly, and dug his claws into the earth. He felt satisfied by their sharpness, and got the courage to sweep on, even under Thorntail's intense blue gaze that was beginning to light with a fire of insults. "Because it's not like I've never noticed a pattern. You are a fantastic and fearless warrior in battle, combining the best skills of the three Clans you have resided in during your lifetime. But anytime something gets deeper than fighting tooth and claw, you run away with your tail between your legs! You ran away from RiverClan, because you couldn't fight the memory of Graywhisker. And when Shadenight started to come into our territory to pad after you, you deliberately avoided her just because facing her wasn't something you could solve with violence! You're a coward, Thorntail! A weak, pathetic coward!"

"Did I ever say I was anything else?" Thorntail snapped, flattening his ears against his head and curling his lips into a snarl. "I don't know where everyone gets that I'm some indestructible warrior! I'm not! I have weaknesses just like everyone else, Blackshadow! Apparently _yours_ is your unrequited love of Rosethorn. If you want her to be protected so much, why don't you take her as your mate?"

Blackshadow snorted. "Because I love Applefur," he explained quietly. "But the subject here isn't whether I am head-over-claws in love with my mate or not, it's that you are running away from your problems! Just like you always do! _Run away, Thorntail. If you run fast enough, they'll never catch you. _Avoid the problem with Rosethorn. Just like you avoided all your problems with Graywhisker." Thorntail stiffened at the mention of his brother, and Blackshadow dug to the back of his mind to find the information Rosethorn had informed him: How Thorntail had told Graywhisker a secret he couldn't handle, to purposely drive his brother off the edge. "With Graywhisker gone, life is so much easier, huh? It was much easier to see him dead then to fix the rift that was growing between you two, right? Just like you ran away from Graywhisker – Because that ended so well, didn't it? – you're running away from Rosethorn! Anything, even death would be better than facing the problems that you have to…"

Blackshadow was cut off, as Thorntail scraped his claws down the side of his face. Blackshadow cringed at the flaming pain, and was about to curse Thorntail's name, but when he saw the pain in the azure eyes that belonged to his best friend.

Thorntail deliberately looked away, as he mewed almost inaudibly, "…I couldn't protect Graywhisker from myself, and I can't protect Rosethorn from Flamesoul…"

What did Thorntail mean by that? Blackshadow wanted to ask, but the cat that had been yowling rage that had been building up was long gone in the quick break of sympathy. The normal, docile Blackshadow was back – as much as he willed the yowling, furious Blackshadow to come return.

"I'm sorry," Blackshadow meowed softly, "for bringing up Graywhisker."

There was a pause. "You were right, though." Thorntail shrugged his shoulders, and turned his head back towards Blackshadow. Thorntail leaned his head over, and Blackshadow felt a pink tongue rasp along his ear. "…Anyways, all anger aside, we'll see each other at Gatherings."

Blackshadow flinched. For a heartbeat, he had thought Thorntail had changed his mind. This time, no rage welled up – only sorrow. Thorntail had been Blackshadow's best friend. Applefur and Rosethorn were fine, but Thorntail was a _tom_. They had been through so much together. From annoying their Clanmates with kitten-like pranks, to defending their Clan from attackers - both from the outside, and in. There would be no more of that. Well, they would both still defend their Clans from attackers…but it wouldn't be the same one. In fact, the next time they met, could be in battle… Blackshadow didn't want to think about that. Through all the faults of Thorntail's that Blackshadow had ruthlessly picked out when 'Angry Blackshadow of FuryClan' had reared his long-hidden head, Thorntail was a good friend… But their friendship wouldn't be able to last over Clan boundaries. Thorntail seemed to be good at that – considering Puddlespots and Owlpelt still seemed to think of the gray cat as their pal – but Blackshadow wasn't sure if he could…

Thorntail was right. This _was_ the last time they would ever speak as Clanmates. And, possibly, as friends.

"Gatherings." Blackshadow agreed in a half-hearted voice. . "I'll look forward to them, Thorntail…"

Thorntail nodded cheerfully, and there was a long silence that seemed to last forever, before the gray warrior got to his paws. "I should probably get going…"

"Yes," Blackshadow murmured, his voice starting to ache. "Would you like me to come with you?"

Thorntail shook his head – and Blackshadow suddenly felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. Hard. "I should do this alone." Thorntail explained. "It would be a little awkward at the border, with you there, and Puddlespots and Owlpelt there…"

"Yeah…" Blackshadow rasped.

Thorntail turned to leave, but a thought struck Blackshadow, and he mewed for him to stop.

"Thorntail…" Blackshadow meowed softly. "I'm just wondering… you left RiverClan because of the guilt of Graywhisker's memory – and Shadenight, right?" Before Thorntail could answer, Blackshadow went on. "How can you go back?"

Thorntail flicked his tail, and turned back to Blackshadow. "I never said I was sorry for meeting Rosethorn, did I? I think…she helped ease my guilt a little bit… And, now that I think about it, I'd rather be where Graywhisker was… it would seem more like he's close to me. And Shadenight…well, let's just hope she's content with Owlpelt as her mate."

"Yeah..." Blackshadow narrowed his eyes, as he felt a flicker of rage and curiosity ignite within him. "…But…if something gets hard there, like it did in ThunderClan…will you leave RiverClan, too? You can't go switching Clans your whole life."

"Fox dung, there goes my life's dream," Thorntail meowed sarcastically. "I'm going to stay in RiverClan for the rest of my life, I promise you. There won't ever be problems like there were with Rosethorn and Shadenight. From the way I see it, I don't think I'm the type of cat who keeps a mate for more than one night. It's just fun, and there are a lot less complications…" Thorntail licked a paw, and rubbed his ear. "Any other questions, Blackshadow?"

"No…" Blackshadow took a pawstep towards Thorntail, and rested his tail on the gray tomcat's shoulder. "But…I do want you to try to use some of that common sense that Rosethorn taught you. As in, don't go taking a WindClan she-cat as your mate the heartbeat you are accepted into the RiverClan camp."

"Oh…" Thorntail shifted uncomfortably, and Blackshadow couldn't help but wonder if his friend had actually thought of doing something similar. "Wait…WindClan is full of she-cats, isn't it – besides one crazed tom? Huh." Thorntail looked thoughtful. "Maybe I'm joining the wrong Clan. Maybe I should go, kill Silverleaf, and join WindClan…I mean, look at all the she-cats. And I'd have them all to mysel-"

Blackshadow cut him off with a rumbling purr. "Just go to _RiverClan_, Thorntail."

"I was kidding," Thorntail mumbled. "Most WindClan cats are dusky little things anyways…I like pretty, sleek ones, like RiverClan, or…feisty ShadowClan cats…or petite, feminine…"

Blackshadow couldn't take his gaze away from the still-speaking ThunderClan warrior, as Thorntail started to pad into the darkness of the Gorse Tunnel, his rant about pretty she-cats echoing through the night.

It certainly was a suitable way to remember Thorntail.

As Thorntail's tail disappeared into the darkness, Blackshadow couldn't fight the feeling of sorrow that welled up. It was over. Thorntail had left the Clan… his best friend had left the Clan…

For some reason, throughout the whole argument he and Thorntail had had, it had never seemed real to Blackshadow. He had thought that Thorntail would change his mind, and settle into the Warrior's Den, and they would chat for a little while, before they both tumbled into the world of dreams.

Trying to use humor to make a bad situation a little easier – like a certain gray cat liked to do – Blackshadow let out a chuckle to himself as he got to his paws to go on his way. "I suppose I can take the second-warmest nest in the den all for my own now."

Blackshadow tried to ignore the sorrow that clung to his heart like moss on a tree, but somehow…he couldn't.

…

"But, honestly!" Applefur complained, shifting uncomfortably around her kits in the nursery. "What kind of crowfood eating mousebrain claws a queen?!" she ran her tail down her new battle scar, flinching as she realized how deep it was. "It hurts so much…I can't sleep like this!"

In the nest beside her, Applefur heard Sandpelt snort, as if her pain was something trivial. Applefur was about to snap at the deputy, but a tail on her shoulder stopped her. She turned her head, to stare into the yellow eyes of Dusktail.

"If it hurts so much," Dusktail meowed softly, "maybe you should go and see Flamesoul, to get some poppy seeds."

Applefur shuddered at his very name. It was agonizing to know that a cat like_ that_ was her superior – even if he had saved Baykit's life earlier. "Do you really think I should go bother _Rosethorn_ about it?" she emphasized her friend's name purposely. Rosethorn was the full medicine of the Clan, Flamesoul was just some heartless piece of fox dung, that, if StarClan was merciful, would be savagely ripped limb from limb by a passing ShadowClan patrol.

"It's better than keeping me up all night." Sandpelt mumbled, rolling in her nest. She grunted, and let out a soft growl. "Tiberkit, did you make rain in my nest? Great StarClan, how many times do I have to show you the area behind the nursery?"

"But it's so far away!" Tiberkit whined.

Applefur wrinkled her nose in disgust, and asked Dusktail to watch over Baykit, Petalkit, Nightkit, and Blazekit while she was away, before she padded out of the nursery.

Almost instantly, the night air seemed to refresh her. For a few heartbeats, she just stood in the three-quarter-full moonlight, and bathed in the silver star shine. She looked around the camp briefly, and noticed Blackshadow staring in a funny way at the Gorse Tunnel, for reasons she couldn't explain. _What's to explain? _She reminded herself sternly _  
Blackshadow's a tom, so he's a mousebrain. I've known this for moons. _

She began to pad towards Rosethorn's den, pausing (again) to look at the three warriors sitting vigil. She shuddered, as she recalled her own. It had been in the middle of leaf-bare, and had been _freezing_. How she had survived it, she still had absolutely no clue.

Either way, she hadn't sat as calmly and magnificently as Beakclaw. The tan tabby warrior that had been her brother's apprentice was sitting on his haunches with his ears erect to the sky, his tail wrapped delicately around his paws, and – amazingly – not even a whisker moved. Aquamist was sitting beside him, and seemed to try and copy his distinguished sitting-vigil ability, but occasionally her ears would flick away a traveling fly, or her whiskers would twitch.

Applefur glanced at the tortoiseshell, Morninglight, and had to sustain a purr of amusement. The young warrior wasn't even trying to try and imitate Beakclaw's calm look. She was on her back, with one leg twitching, and staring lazily at StarClan above.

Applefur shrugged. As long as Morninglight stayed awake, it didn't matter how undignified she acted.

Applefur quietly slipped into the fern tunnel of the medicine cat's den. She opened her mouth to call for Rosethorn, but stopped herself when she noticed Flamesoul.

The big, orange tom had his back to her…and was caressing something with his tail. Concerned, Applefur used the best of her stalking ability to stay silent as she padded forward to see what the "medicine cat" was doing.

Her mouth rounded into a gape, as she realized he was rubbing his tail against…Ebonypaw! The black apprentice was sleeping calmly in her nest, and Applefur guessed that she had gone to sleep long before Flamesoul had padded in!

"Soft, like hers…" Flamesoul was murmuring softly, as he rubbed his muzzle into Ebonypaw's jet black fur. "Silky…like… hers…but not quite as beautiful as my Precious'."

Applefur felt her fur bristle with rage. That crowfood-eating, mouse-dung smelling, piece of fox-dung! Thorntail had been right: _Cats that do that force themselves on she-cats always do it again! _

"Flamesoul," she snarled, stepping forward. She felt a glimmer of satisfaction to see him jump at her presence. "What were you-."

"Applefur,"

She jerked her head with rage, to see who had been the cat who had interrupted her. She narrowed her eyes, when she saw Blackshadow stumbling into the den. "There's something you should know."

"This is more important." Applefur snapped. "Unless ShadowClan are attacking our camp with dogs and Twolegs in their service, I don't need to know it right now!"

Blackshadow narrowed his eyes. "You'll want to know it, Applefur. I guarantee you…"

She flicked her ears, curious. Momentarily forgetting about Flamesoul, she started towards Blackshadow. Her mate calmly told her that Rosethorn should probably hear it too, and asked her if she knew where the scarlet medicine cat was.

Deciding that it was an apprentice's duty to find a particular cat, Applefur let out a loud meow. "Ebonypaw, wake up!"

The black medicine cat leapt into consciousness, her emerald eyes wide and looking wildly about the den. "Look, Marsh…" Ebonypaw trailed off, probably at seeing Applefur's blank expression. Ebonypaw chuckled nervously. "Look, marshes… are fun. We should go steal some ShadowClan territory, because I like marshes a lot!"

"Tell your plans of stealing territory to Streamstar – right now, I want you to find your mentor." Applefur ordered.

Ebonypaw stared curiously at her for a moment, before she flashed a green gaze at Flamesoul. "Well, that was easy." She mumbled. "G'night."

Applefur let out a hiss of fury. "_Rosethorn_ is your mentor, mouse-brain!"

At the harshness of the queen's tone, Ebonypaw leapt to her paws and scurried out of the den to find her _true_ mentor.

Applefur flashed an icy glance at Flamesoul, telling herself that she could deal with him later – he wasn't something that could be dealt with overnight anyways. And Ebonypaw probably wouldn't be able to sleep when she was done with all her scurrying…

Applefur started to pad out of the den, and flicked her tail for Blackshadow to follow her.

Once they were outside, Applefur rounded on him, furiously. "This had better be important," she growled.

Blackshadow nodded. "Applefur, Thorntail…well he told me that he's leaving ThunderClan for RiverClan. He's meeting Puddlespots and Owlpelt at the border and…"

Applefur didn't hear the rest. _That River-rat! _She thought hatefully. She opened her mouth to yowl at Blackshadow for not stopping him, but before she could, Rosethorn came bounding forward.

Rosethorn stumbled to a halt, and flashed a confused blue glance from Applefur, to Blackshadow, to Applefur again. "I was looking at a wound on Swiftfoot's shoulder, when Ebonypaw came to tell me that you two needed me…"

Blackshadow gazed helplessly at the scarlet medicine cat, before he meowed slowly, "Rosethorn…I don't know how to tell you this but…"

Slow! Slow! Why was Blackshadow speaking so slowly?! Rosethorn had to go catch up to Thorntail and bring him back to the Clan before he crossed the border! She needed all the time she had!

Applefur burst out, "Rosethorn, Thorntail has left ThunderClan, and is right now padding towards the RiverClan border! Go! Go! Catch him!" Rosethorn stood still, and this irritated Applefur to no end. "Why are you just standing there!? Go! _Now!"_

Rosethorn held her friend's sapphire gaze with one of her own for a moment, before she looked down at the earth. "It won't do any good…" she murmured softly. "I already told you, I hurt him too deeply. I can't help it that he would hate me so much…that he would leave ThunderClan just to escape…"

Applefur let out a ferocious growl. Weak! Why was Rosethorn as weak as Blackshadow was slow? Applefur shuddered, as she realized that Rosethorn had become the more like the aloof apprentice she had been during and post-Flamesoul. Thorntail had pulled her out of that hole, but it seemed she had fallen back in.

Applefur narrowed her eyes. "Why do you always feel like your worthless, Rosethorn?!" she snarled. "Why do you always blame yourself?! For once in your life blame someone! Streamstar! Flamesoul! _Even me, if that suits your fancy_! But stop blaming yourself for every single problem that pops up in your life!" Applefur's pelt tingled with annoyance, as still, Rosethorn just stood there. She wasn't going to go after Thorntail?!

"Rosethorn, maybe it hasn't occurred to you yet: But as soon as Thorntail crosses the border in RiverClan, it is _over_!" Applefur jerked her tail about. "There will be _no _hope! He will never look at you with love in his eyes again! _Never!_ Doesn't that mean anything to you?! He will pad after some RiverClan she-cat, and _she_ will take the place in his heart that should belong to you! _She _will be the cat that he fights for! _She _will be the cat that he loves! Not you! _Never you_!"

Rosethorn still examined the ground. Applefur literally flinched in surprise, but regained her footing quickly. Her heart wrenched, as she thought of all that Thorntail and Rosethorn had been through to stay mates. Spottedstar revealing – albeit briefly – their relationship, Shadenight's padding after Thorntail, Silverleaf's obsessions…

"You two have gone through so much for one another…why are you giving up now!?" Applefur questioned. "If you really love him, you need to tell him what's in your heart! You need to keep him in ThunderClan! Even if it feels mousebrained, it doesn't matter." Rosethorn looked up. Applefur, feeling she had her friend's attention, went on, "Go catch him, Rosethorn. Yowl. Throw a fit. Use the most mousebrained, idiotic way, if you have to – as long as it makes him stay, isn't it worth it?"

Applefur half-expected the medicine cat to take off for Thorntail right then and there, but still, Rosethorn just stood there, as if she felt like it was time to let Thorntail go.

"Fine, don't go after him." Applefur growled with a forced shrug of her shoulders. "I don't really care. He isn't my mate… I'll stop annoying you about it Rosethorn…on one condition." Rosethorn looked up at her curiously. Applefur met her gaze calmly, as she growled, "If you can look me in the eyes, and tell me in all honesty, that everything you and Thorntail have gone through means nothing to you anymore."

…

Rosethorn stared hopelessly at Applefur. Why did her friend always meddle in things that were out of her control? Why didn't Applefur understand that she had hurt Thorntail too badly! She had betrayed him! She had promised that she would never deny him, yet…she had! For what? A twisted piece of fox dung named Flamesoul?

_Thorntail deserves better! _

As Applefur fought to convince her, Rosethorn tried to close her ears. She was dirty! Did no cat understand that? She had been used already! She wasn't pure! Not in StarClan's eyes – not in anyone's eyes! And Thorntail…he didn't deserve to get lost in the pool of filth that Rosethorn waded in every day she lived. He was a good, handsome, strong warrior – StarClan had blessed him. StarClan _loved _Thorntail! He should be with a cat that StarClan loves too! Not a dirty, impure, used medicine cat that StarClan despised!

But as hard as she could, she couldn't block out Applefur's final convincing argument "…look me in the eyes, and tell me in all honesty, that everything you and Thorntail have gone through means nothing to you anymore."

Rosethorn opened her mouth to tell a lie, and say that it meant nothing – it was all in the past… But she couldn't.

Everything she and Thorntail had been through…

First meeting…

_"Oh, you must be the medicine cat!" Thorntail's eyes had sparkled, as he glanced at the moat of mud firmly surrounding the herbs she had been collecting. "And you…need the chervil root, right? Guess what, I'm your newest Clanmate! I know, weird huh? Anyways, I'll get the chervil root for you. Medicine cats shouldn't get their pretty for dirty, eh?" _

Why was it she remembered that meeting? It had been nothing… Right? She could let go – for Thorntail's sake, right? Surely…separating would be best…

Without Rosethorn's orders, Thorntail's words sparkled into her mind, _Rosethorn, we have to pad along together through life – with our tails intertwined, and our pelts brushing against one another…otherwise we might lose each other in a dark forest. And then we'll lose the courage to escape the forest of tragedies…so…Why are we separating? _

Thorntail's own very words…

Rosethorn felt her heart thump quickly in her chest, just thinking about the warrior. His broad shoulders, his pointed ears, his pink tongue…every gray hair on his pelt…

"Don't you love him, Rosethorn?!" Applefur burst out.

Rosethorn struggled. She had to say no! Thorntail deserved a nicer, purer, more innocent she-cat! A better one!

Thorntail's pesky words popped up again: _I love you, _He had waited then…for her to answer. She had been so shocked about his comment she hadn't been able to…

_Surely you owe it to him to love him too? No…no…I owe it to him to stay away… You love him, mousebrain! Act like it for once in your life! _

She clashed with herself for awhile, before she answered,

"Yes, I love Thorntail."

Without hesitating for another moment – knowing if she did, she might fight with herself again – she charged out of camp. She had a tomcat to stop.

…

Rosethorn pounded through the forest, not caring in the least if she woke up some of the mewling WindClan kits with her racket. She didn't follow Thorntail's scent trail; the tom had taken so many detours as if to enjoy ThunderClan territory as long as he could. She knew where he was going. She would get there before him, and round him off.

Rosethorn cringed, and forced her legs to move faster as Applefur's ominous words echoed in her mind. A_s soon as Thorntail crosses the border in RiverClan, it is over! There will be no hope! He will never look at you with love in his eyes again! Never! …He will pad after some RiverClan she-cat, and _she _will take the place in his heart that should belong to yours!_ She_ will be the cat that he fights for! _She _will be the cat that he loves! Not you! _Never you

Rosethorn wanted to cry out at the very thought! She also wanted to claw herself for not trying to wrap him around her paw to retrieve him as her mate before! She loved Thorntail! She…she _needed_ him! The only reason she had agreed to allow Flamesoul into the Clan…was because she thought Thorntail would stay by her side! And it was over now…all over…

_Not yet, _she reminded herself in an attempt to be optimistic. _You can still catch him at the border… _

The border was coming ever closer, and Thorntail's scent ever stronger. Almost instinctively, Rosethorn let out a few piercing cries. "Thorntail!" she leapt over a branch, "Thorntail! Don't go! Thorntail!"

Had he heard her?

Was he even there yet?

She rushed forward. Her heart began to pound from exhaustion, but Rosethorn kept running – her heart would be feeling a lot more pain if Thorntail left!

She padded to the border – the very edge, by the river – and looked around curiously. Where was Thorntail? She kept her hopes up, kept telling herself that he was somewhere behind her, and was going to mew a, "Hiya, Rosethorn," at any moment.

But he didn't.

Her heart lurched, when she heard a splash.

She looked wildly into the river, hoping to see a fish that had leapt through the air before tumbling back into his watery prison…but instead she saw Thorntail swimming like a fish in the river, as if he had never left. She felt herself go numb, as he crawled out of the water – on the other side of the border. A tabby and a blue-gray she-cat padded to meet him.

She wanted to yowl his name. She had to cry out to him… But her mouth wouldn't form words.

As the three cats disappeared from sight, deeper into RiverClan territory, Rosethorn's legs buckled beneath her. Thorntail would never greet her in the morning. He would never catch her something 'extra special' from the fresh-kill pile. No more arguments, no more sweet words, no more dangers faced together, no more shared pains, shared purrs…no more love.

"No…" was the only word her voice allowed her to rasp. She glanced helplessly at the starry sky above her. _StarClan no…I don't…I don't want it…to end yet. It can't be over! It can't be… _

_

* * *

_**I told you it wasn't emotional enough. But that's okay...I hope. Anyways, I've run out of plushies to give. Uh...Dusktail? She hasn't ever had a plushie... **

**THE GENERIC QUEEN DUSKTAIL! We know virtually nothing about her... But...she seems like a nice queen, doesn't she? Sort of like the generic queens Frostfor and Goldenflower - did they even have different personalities? They seemed to be exactly the same to me...but all well. **

**Review, you get Dusktail plushie. Don't review... and you'll never see your CINNAMON ROLL ever again. **


	22. Chapter 21

**First off: YAY! I CHANGED MY USERNAME! It is now .T-Roxie-I. 'Roxie' because I love that name, even though it does not belong to me. And the 'T' and 'I' are for my former username, 'Tigerstar's Innocence'. Oh, and I'm probably going to start working on the rewrite of Every Rose Has Its Thorns side-by-side with this one. I hope you guys will read it to see how much more CLEAR I plan to make things, how much more I plan to FORESHADOW, and see a few scenes that weren't put in the original, along with better-written scenes from before! **

**Second off: Oh, fudge-monkeys. I made another monster of a chapter...15 pages in length. Wrote it in about...three hours or so, total. -shifts uncomfortably- Uh...sorry? I'm not going to lie to you: It is way too long. **

**Why is it too long? **

**Well, 15 pages is a lot for a _fanfiction_ that nobody cares about, and...well...this is sorta a 'filler-chapter' It is about Thorntail settling into RiverClan...though, I didn't describe it too well. The main purpose of it is to introduce a new character, whose name is Tawnyleaf. She's been mentioned before... Uh... -thinks- I think Ravenfeather mentioned her name once, and...if you recall, Twilightfur and Flamesoul told each other that they both hated Tawnyleaf. Now, finally, I get to introduce her::And yes, it is supposed to be _blaringly _obvious who she resembles, since it is no secret - I had one of my characters outright mention...oh, never mind:: And this chapter didn't come out as I planned...but I don't know how to fix it right now. -sigh- **

**Anyways, to reply to some of my reviewers...**

**Pearl.H.Sweden - I didn't think it was emotional at all...but thank you! I was hoping you reviewed, and was wondering why you didn't... **

**Squirrelflightlover - Sorry for making you cry! Anyways, you'll have to read to find out if they get back together or not... though, I think from this chapter, it is clear that Thorntail...well, he has some problems with his decision too. **

**Mapleleaf- Sorry, we will never see Ebonypaw go to see Marshclaw. In fact, the only reason I made Marshclaw make her...well...it's obvious what Marshclaw made her, but I'm not going to go into that... Anyways, the only reason I made Marshclaw make her ----, was to give... oh, you'll see later. **

**Daklotles85 - yes, Blackshadow exploded. I think it was the first time he ever flipped out...I think it might also be the last...but that's okay. Anyways, last chapter, Applefur and Blackshadow both yelled at their former-lovey-dovey counterparts...but none of it worked, did it? **

**Strangefur-** -**sighs with relief- I hoped you liked it, but to be honest, I was never sure. xD**

**Anyways, this chapter is told entirely in Thorntail's point of view. He doesn't think very often of his feelings about what he just did to Rosethorn, but trust me: You'll know soon his whole feelings on the matter. Even the inner ones that he doesn't achnowledge right now... **

**Enjoy the filler, **

* * *

For the first time in moons, the tomcat felt the cool water slink through his gray pelt. He had nearly forgotten how refreshing the river was, and he had a powerful instinct to simply swim in the water for seasons, but he knew that if he waited too long, Owlpelt and Puddlespots – who were in clear eyeshot – could get impatient.

Taking his time, Thorntail slowly padded up the bank, and slipped through the reeds, to stand, as a Clanmate (hopefully) in front of Puddlespots and Owlpelt for the first time in moons.

The blue gray she-cat that had once been Graywhisker's mentor regarded Thorntail for a moment, her eyes, yellow like the sun baked sand searching his own sapphire, as if she was looking for even a glimmer of doubt. Probably sensing how firmly Thorntail felt about his decision, she pressed her muzzle affectionately into his side. "Mouse-brain," she murmured softly. "What were you thinking, leaving RiverClan like you did?"

Thorntail let out a rumbling purr. "I wasn't?" he asked, hoping that his reply would satisfy her.

"Good answer." The RiverClan she-cat took a paw-step back from Thorntail. "I missed you." She murmured, looking at him up and down, from the tips of his ears to his paws. "And so did Speedtail…" she purred, naming her mate.

Thorntail didn't know what to say to that one. Embarrassed, he began to give his chest a few self-conscious licks. Deciding to change the subject from how his and Graywhisker's mentors had missed him, he meowed, "How are you and Speedtail, anyways? I would've expected kits from you two by now…"

Puddlespots opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by Owlpelt, who rushed into Thorntail's vision, and let out a purr. "Did you say kits? You know, Thorntail, Shadenight recently had _my_ kits. Well…kit. But she's beautiful! She really is. Both Shadenight and our little Melodykit. Thorntail, Melodykit is just as beautiful as her mother! Same sleek, black pelt… but she has silver eyes instead of blue…but that's still pretty. You should see her! You should! When we get to camp, you have to visit the nursery to see her!"

Thorntail stared blankly at Owlpelt for a few heartbeats. Was this the same little shy tom that had followed Shadenight around ThunderClan territory like she was his mentor and he was her apprentice? He had never known Owlpelt to be so… outgoing. He certainly had been gone from RiverClan for a long while…

Puddlespots glanced impatiently at Owlpelt. "Yes, Melodykit is beautiful; every cat in RiverClan has heard you brag about it at least five times now. Give it a rest." To Thorntail, she added, "Owlpelt has been spending all his spare time in the nursery with Shadenight. He's driving all the queens crazy – especially Violetpelt. She just recently gave birth…"

"She gave birth, but none of her kits are as beautiful and intelligent as Melodykit!" Owlpelt put in.

Puddlespots ignored him, and instead answered Thorntail's earlier question about herself and Speedtail. "Anyways, Speedtail and I are doing fine. We've been in love since we were apprentices, and…well…I never thought it would last so long…"

Thorntail didn't listen to what else she said, and he had a strange sensation that he was looking down on himself from the sky. Puddlespots' little tangent about her and Speedtail and how their love would last forever...he couldn't help but be envious.

He started to Puddlespots' cheerful voice once more, "But you're right, we haven't had any kits yet. But we've really been trying recently. So Thorntail, when you see us leaving camp together at night….don't stop us, please."

Thorntail's whiskers twitched in amusement. "I won't," he promised diplomatically. He wouldn't start making any smart or sarcastic comments until his position in RiverClan was definite.

"By the way…how are things in RiverClan? Do they know that I'm coming?"

Puddlespots let out a purr. "Unlike some cats,_ I_ follow the Warrior Code…" she looked first at him, then at Owlpelt, and Thorntail had to sustain a purr. Evidently, RiverClan had found out about Owlpelt's adventures in ThunderClan territory a few moons ago. "Anyways," Puddlespots sighed turning back to Thorntail, "the whole Clan knows. Duststar is fine with your rejoining…but he _does_ want to speak to you in the morning."

Thorntail's paws prickled with unease. He knew that the whole time Duststar spoke with him, the RiverClan leader would be pestering him about his loyalty. Just because Thorntail was born in ShadowClan, joined RiverClan, was exiled for a few moons so joined ShadowClan, then RiverClan again, then ThunderClan, and now RiverClan once more_ didn't _mean that he had loyalty issues. Consistency issues, maybe but…that was a stretch.

He thought for a moment about other things he might need to know… "Um…what does the Clan think about my joining?" he flexed his claws, ready to prove his loyalty by clawing the eyes out of any cat who distrusted him. _That _would earn their trust…Okay, no it wouldn't. But it would be fun.

Puddlespots let out a nervous purr. "Oh, you know how Clans are Thorntail… we all have different personalities. A lot of cats understand that your reasons for leaving weren't because you turned traitor and felt no loyalty to us anymore, but because you genuinely wouldn't have been able to stand living in RiverClan. Other cats think you're a traitorous piece of fox-dung…but those are mostly the same ones that taunted you when you were an apprentice for being half-ShadowClan… and…some just don't care." She twitched her whiskers with amusement, for reasons Thorntail didn't understand.

Owlpelt's amber eyes glanced nervously up at the night sky that was slowly turning a fiery orange. "We should probably get to camp," he murmured softly.

Puddlespots grunted agreement, and turned swiftly, and began to pad in the direction of the camp. Thorntail followed her, with Owlpelt's fur brushing against his.

"I'm really glad you're back, Thorntail." Owlpelt meowed quietly.

Owlpelt went on rambling about what seemed to Thorntail, nothing, so the gray tomcat decided to ignore his new Clanmate. His pelt prickled with a whirlwind of emotions, as he felt his paws delivering him further and further away from ThunderClan. Away from that piece of fox dung that was Flamesoul, that selfish leader that carried the name of Streamstar, the daft Rosethorn…the kind Rosethorn, the beautiful Rosethorn, the understanding Rosethorn…Rosethorn, Rosethorn, Rosethorn…

He shook his head violently. Why was he thinking like that?! He couldn't start missing her _now_. It was…so much easier for both of them if they stayed apart. They weren't meant to be together.

Thorntail glanced up at the silver-pelted warriors of StarClan, who were all starting to shimmer away, and hide until the day ended and night ruled the forest once more. He shuddered, thinking of the promise he had made to Rosethorn those many moons ago – his promise to protect her…

Rosethorn, Blackshadow, Applefur… why didn't any cat understand that he _couldn't_ protect her anymore? That Flamesoul was the one thing in the forest that Thorntail wouldn't be able to chase away with a snarl? It was…easier to be apart. And it was easiest to be apart when the temptation of following Flamesoul's pawsteps and forcing himself on…

He shook his head again. Why did his mind always stretch to such dark corners?

He looked down at his padding paws, all too familiar with the path the three cats were all padding on. He felt slightly light-headed as he walked. It was almost as if Graywhisker's death, and his time in ThunderClan had all been a dream of some sort, and he had just woken up to find himself still a loyal RiverClan warrior.

He felt a shiver of guilt as he thought of Graywhisker. As much as he could pretend that his time in ThunderClan had never happened, the fact of the matter was, Graywhisker was dead.

He looked around, and felt a shudder rip through him. He had almost forgotten why he had left RiverClan in the first place. He had tried to _escape _the memory of Graywhisker… But now, in escaping Rosethorn and ThunderClan, and he had crashed right back into the flood of memories that, he predicted, would drown him.

He tried to pay attention to Owlpelt. To do so, he flicked his ears towards him, and burned his sapphire eyes into Owlpelt's amber.

"…Let's see…what else…" the brown tabby looked thoughtful. "Um…Cinnamonpaw got his warrior name. He's Cinnamonfur now. But…Cinnamonfur was still a kit when you left the Clan…so you probably don't care…"

Thorntail grunted agreement, and looked away, listening to Owlpelt's slightly-high voice rant on.

"Duststar said that Crimsonflame would mentor Melodykit when she's old enough. Shadenight and I couldn't be more proud – Crimsonflame is one of the Clan's most fierce warriors…"

Thorntail looked at the passing landscape, enjoying the sensation that this was his territory again. He felt a mixed feeling of warmth and chill wash over him, as he felt Owlpelt's brown pelt mingle with his. Graywhisker always used to walk too close like that to…

Thorntail pricked his ears with surprise, as he noticed how Owlpelt's voice dramatically got deeper…more like…his own…more like…Graywhisker's.

"And Melodykit really is gorgeous. I can't wait for you to meet her…Thorntail; I'm lonely in StarClan… I need you here with me."

Thorntail felt his blood run cold. Slowly, he turned his head to stare into the eyes of Owlpelt. Was this some sort of sick joke?

His eyes rounded in horror, as he noticed that Owlpelt's eyes, which were usually amber…were sapphire.

"Why haven't you followed me, yet? You promised me that we would die together, since we were born together. If that's the truth…then how come you're not in StarClan with me yet? We promised we'd follow each other wherever we went! How come you haven't followed me yet, Thorntail? You promised! You promised! _You promised!"_

Thorntail let out a mewl of distress, and purposely jerked himself away from Owlpelt, so their pelts were no longer brushing against one another.

For a few heartbeats, he couldn't speak. He tightly closed his eyes, and asked Owlpelt – was it Owlpelt? – Softly, "What…what did you say?"

There was a pause, before Owlpelt mewed, "I _said _that Melodykit is the most beautiful little kitten I've ever seen in my life…"

Thorntail blinked open his eyes, and let out a sigh of relief to see that Owlpelt's eyes were his normal amber, not the sapphire that both Graywhisker and himself shared.

Owlpelt looked at him worryingly. "Are you okay, Thorntail? You don't look to good…"

"I'm fine…" Thorntail lied, trying to ignore the fear that had wrapped itself around him. "Let's hurry to camp, yes?"

…

Thorntail pushed himself through the parting reeds, and breathed in the familiar RiverClan scent water and soft breezes.

His whiskers twitched with a pure surge of joy. The RiverClan camp! The camp where he had been raised, and had, truthfully, grown up. His whiskers twitched, when he noticed several warriors stretching in the clearing, clearly preparing for their Dawn Patrol.

Tentatively he stepped into the clearing, hardly noticing Owlpelt and Puddlespots by his side anymore.

He was surprised that he recognized almost every single cat, even though he had been gone so long. Crimsonflame, a big kindle-pelted tomcat was rolling on his back and purring at some joke that a tiny black and white cat had made – Thorntail knew it was Tinykit… well, it had been Tinykit when he had left the Clan. What the still-little cat's name was now, only Thorntail could guess. There were other cats he noticed to, but the only one that noticed him was the pure-powdery white she-cat that he knew was Icefire. Her eyes sparkled, and she licked her lips hungrily, as if Thorntail was a large piece of fresh-kill.

Thorntail gave her a curt nod, his heart starting to thud faster as he got…ideas.

Thorntail felt his heart lurch with misgivings, as he noticed a sleek silver tom slink out of the warrior's den and stretch, with a jet black tabby tom right beside him. Thorntail knew that the black cat was Beetleflight, but Thorntail really didn't care about him. It was the silver cat that worried him.

He never seemed to get along with silver cats. Silverleaf had been an almost-eternal thorn in his side…and Fishpaw, the tormentor of Graywhisker and Thorntail's apprenticeship, had been another bothersome cat.

Thorntail stifled a purr, as he recalled attempting to murder Fishpaw for giving Graywhisker so much turmoil. Then guilt washed over him for purring at something like that. To feel happy at the thought of spilling Fishpaw's blood… wasn't sane.

Fishpaw looked up from speaking to Beetleflight, and flattened his ears against his head. Thorntail followed the tom's yellow gaze…and noticed he was looking at him.

Thorntail flexed his claws as Fishpaw and his darker companion began to trudge towards him. Their gazes certainly weren't friendly. Thorntail wondered briefly if he should be worried, instead of excited, at the prospect at getting into a fight – verbal or physical – with the two toms.

Thorntail couldn't help but notice that every cat in the clearing had their gaze sheering into his pelt, probably waiting for his reaction to whatever insult Fishpaw would throw out at him.

Fishpaw wore an open sneer on his face. "Do you change Clans every moon?"

_What a warm welcome. _

Thorntail's whiskers twitched, and he narrowed his eyes. "Every _other_ moon," he corrected cheerfully.

Fishpaw's yellow eyes narrowed into slits. "I don't know why Duststar is letting all these untrustworthy pieces of fox dung stay in the Clan."

Thorntail shrugged. "I don't know why he lets you stay in RiverClan either. I always thought he was more intelligent…" he felt reinforced by the amused purrs of the sectoring RiverClan cats – even Beetleflight, Fishpaw's companion, who had yet to say anything. "But you know you really shouldn't insult yourself. I bet your Clanmates do so for you behind your back all the time, Fishpaw."

Fishpaw's silver fur bristled with fury. "I'm Fish_claw_ now. I received my warrior name moons ago…you'd know that if you had any loyalty in you, and had stayed in RiverClan."

"Fishclaw…" Puddlespots began, but Thorntail couldn't resist cutting her off.

"Fishkit, go play your kit-games somewhere else. The warriors have things to do right now."

"Fishclaw!" the silver cat screeched.

Thorntail nodded, and let out a soft coo that usually is only used on kits. "Okay, _'Fishclaw'_. You're a warrior - whatever you say. Now go back to the nursery. I bet your mother's looking for you."

More joyous purrs – though, Thorntail also noticed a few furious hisses, probably coming from the cats that supported 'Fishkit's' half-truths. This did nothing but amuse Thorntail, but…he noticed that Owlpelt seemed to disappear. Apparently the brown tabby didn't like where this was going.

Fishclaw drew his lips back into a snarl, while Beetleflight let out a soft hiss. "Thorntail, you know Fishclaw's mother died while giving birth to him."

Thorntail ignored the guilt that clawed at his stomach – he had truthfully forgotten about how Fishclaw came into the forest. Instead of worrying too much, he shrugged his shoulders once more. "I'd die too, if I saw that I saw that I had given birth to something that looks like…_that_." He flicked his tail at Fishclaw.

At this, Fishclaw let out a ferocious snarl, and bunched his muscles together to pounce. Thorntail tensed, ready to knock the warrior away. But when he saw that Fishclaw wasn't moving, Thorntail used his back legs to launch himself into the air and towards Fishclaw…

But before he could land on the silver cat, he felt something grab the scruff of his neck, and hold him back.

Once his four paws were on the earth once more, he tossed a glance behind him, to see that Puddlespots had her jaws clasped firmly on his scruff, preventing him from attacking Fishclaw.

"Shorntail you can't attamp roar Cwanmates ren you just remoined de Clan."

After translating Puddlespots' tangled speech, Thorntail couldn't help but be irritated. If he didn't attack RiverClan cats, how could he prove that he was loyal to RiverClan? Or…at least get cats to _say_ that he's loyal, so they wouldn't be clawed again?

Fishclaw sat up on his haunches, and let out a purr. "What's wrong, Thorntail? Are you afraid to fight me?"

Thorntail tried to struggle free from Puddlespots' grip, but to his distain the she-cat held fast. Not losing face, he curled his lips into a snarl. "No, I'm not afraid to fight you. In fact, I can't wait to finish what I started when I was an apprentice! Remember, Fishclaw, Furyheart isn't alive to save you this time!"

Fishclaw flinched, and Thorntail purred approvingly. Apparently his Clanmate hadn't forgotten the time when they were both apprentices when he was almost murdered anymore than Thorntail had. Back then, Furyheart had been the only thing that had stopped Fishclaw from making the journey to StarClan. But now, the RiverClan deputy was long-dead, and Thorntail doubted she'd rise up just to defend her former apprentice.

Fishclaw seemed to struggle for a retort, but didn't appear to be able to come up with a decent one. So instead, he meowed to his companion, Beetleflight, "I think Duststar is a fantastic leader, but sometimes I have to question his logic. Cats who don't follow the warrior code have no place in RiverClan."

Thorntail hissed furiously, and longed to claw Fishclaw's eyes out for…well, for just being annoying. But the only way to get out of Puddlespots' grip would be to claw _her_, and Thorntail didn't want to be on bad terms with Graywhisker's former mentor as well as Fishclaw.

Thorntail opened his mouth to give Fishclaw a sharp retort, but before he could, he saw Fishclaw tumble to the earth by what appeared to be a… tawny-colored blur.Thorntail blinked in surprise, as he saw Fishclaw writhing on his side, under the dainty front paws of a cat that the former ThunderClan cat didn't recognize. Though, just because he didn't recognize her, didn't mean he was any less grateful…or less astounded.

The cat that seemed to have Fishclaw pinned, had a golden-brown pelt of a lion with darker tabby stripes running down her back. She was fairly small, but her size didn't seem to make it any harder for her to hold down the much-larger Fishclaw. She had her cold leaf-green gaze firmly on the silver cat's fur, while her own bristled with rage.

"Fishclaw," to Thorntail, her voice sounded like water running over smooth pebbles, "what did you just say about me?"

"Tawnyleaf…" Beetleflight mewed shifting uncomfortably, "Fishclaw was speaking to Thorntail…about…Thorntail. Your name wasn't even mentioned…"

The she-cat that Thorntail guessed was Tawnyleaf rolled her eyes at Beetleflight's words. "I _know_, but my name was_ eluded_ in the mass of insults."

"When?"

Thorntail could only let his mouth drop in awe, as Tawnyleaf Beetleflight with a soft sigh, before she meowed, "When Fishclaw said 'Cats who don't follow the Warrior Code have no place in RiverClan' he was _talking _to Thorntail, but when he said 'Cats' he included _me_. Thus, I pounced."

"It could be argued that you shouldn't be eavesdropping." Beetleflight pointed out.

Tawnyleaf's green eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at her black-pelted Clanmate. "I'll eavesdrop whenever I want…" she gave her chest fur a few licks, and seemed to fake a few sobs. "I've…I've…I've tried to fit into RiverClan, StarClan knows I tried but…" she trailed off, before letting Fishclaw go and rolling onto her back into a crescendo of, what seemed to Thorntail, fake sobs.

Thorntail stifled a purr, when he noticed Fishclaw leap to his paws, and press his muzzle affectionately against Tawnyleaf's side. "Don't worry, Tawnyleaf, I know that _you're_ loyal."

Tawnyleaf purred. "Really, Fishclaw?" she asked hopefully.

Thorntail almost gagged, as both Beetleflight and Fishclaw nodded vigorously.

Tawnyleaf rolled back onto her paws, and brushed her back off with her tail before she growled more haughtily, "Right then. Go away."

Fishclaw and Beetleflight exchanged confused glances, before they slipped away.

"You always were manipulative, Tawnyleaf...always knew how to wrap the tomcats around your paw…" Puddlespots sighed, looking at the golden-brown she-cat helplessly. Thorntail blinked, and quickly realized that at some point or another, Puddlespots had let go of the scruff of his neck.

He looked at Tawnyleaf through narrowed eyes. He certainly didn't recognize her. She seemed vaguely familiar…but he was pretty sure she had never been his Clanmate before. Though her name…Tawnyleaf… in his mind, that made the patrols yowl with familiarity.

"It's not that hard, Puddlespots, to get toms to do whatever you want…though I know a cat like…you…is ignorant to that fact. You see, Puddlespots, if you want a tom to do anything, you just need to do this…" Thorntail was fascinated, as Tawnyleaf's green eyes seemed to grow twice in size, as she fluttered her eyelashes and slowly moved her neck about seductively.

Thorntail looked at her for a few heartbeats. He knew she was a little older than him, but… even so, she had somehow been able to…arouse him. His fur bristled with his fleshy need, but he knew that mounting her right now, under the gazes of all the RiverClan cats who had yet to disperse, would be a bad idea…

Puddlespots snorted, and snapped some insult at Tawnyleaf, and Thorntail had to sustain a purr as they began to argue about…well, nothing, really.

Even so, as much as Thorntail _physically _wanted Tawnyleaf, he couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding that seemed to be flying off of every hair on the tawny-colored she-cat's pelt. Instinctively, Thorntail was…frightened of her. This was not to say he didn't like her – oh, he liked her. Liked her _a lot_. But the feelings of fear and longing kept on warring against one another, as he tried to figure out who Tawnyleaf was, and why he couldn't remember her.

Puddlespots seemed to guess his confusion, because she rested her tail on Tawnyleaf's shoulder lightly, as if the action disgusted her. "Thorntail, you probably don't remember Tawnyleaf, but she was our medicine cat before Blueherb. I think you were still a kit in ShadowClan when she got pregnant with kits and had to leave the Clan..." Puddlespots' yellow eyes looked thoughtful. "Apparently, her two litters of kits all died, so Duststar let her come back as a warrior…and here she is. The traitor to the Warrior Code and RiverClan."

Thorntail stared blankly at Tawnyleaf. That explained why her name was familiar…but her features were too. If he had never seen Tawnyleaf before, why did he feel like he had stared into her eyes before? Or…was it just because her medicine cat-past reminded him of Rosethorn?

Tawnyleaf looked at Puddlespots cheekily. "You just don't like me because Speedtail enjoys my company."

Puddlespots' fur bristled, but she didn't defend herself. Instead, she meowed, "I'm on the Dawn Patrol with Dustyfoot and Tinyheart…I have to go," she started to pad towards the mass of RiverClan cats that seemed to have watched the whole event between Thorntail and Fishclaw, and later Tawnyleaf, with wide fascinated eyes.

"Duststar wants to see you in his den, don't forget, Thorntail." Puddlespots called out behind her, before the black-and-white Tinyheart and the big brown tabby that Thorntail recognized as Dustyfoot led her out of camp.

Thorntail hesitated. He wasn't looking forward to speaking to the RiverClan leader and probably listening to some speech about having a paw in three Clans…or something.

Luckily, he quickly found the perfect excuse not to see Duststar, because Tawnyleaf moved in front of him and sniffed him curiously, before she meowed, "You smell like ThunderClan still."

"And you smell like RiverClan. How curious!" Thorntail purred, slightly annoyed at Tawnyleaf's pointing-out-the-obvious-abilities.

Thorntail turned his attention away from the former-medicine cat, and instead accepted the greetings that several RiverClan cats were giving him. He was surprised at how warmly welcomed he was being. Especially from the she-cats…

His whiskers twitched in excitement. He would have fun in RiverClan.

A small, light brown tabby warrior slinked over to him, his amber eyes narrowed into slits. "ThunderClan…"

Thorntail didn't hear the rest of what the brown tabby said, and instead just examined him carefully. For some reason, he remembered the cat was Cinnamonkit… and Owlpelt had mentioned something about a new warrior, Cinnamonfur, so… Thorntail guessed that this cat was Cinnamonfur.

"she-cats?" Cinnamonfur finished whatever sentence he had begun.

Thorntail blinked curiously. What had Cinnamonfur asked? He looked around at the RiverClan cats that had gathered to greet him, and couldn't help but notice that several of them looked sickened. "Cinnamonfur…what did you say?"

Cinnamonfur shifted uncomfortably, and looked around slightly embarrassed. "I…um…er…asked about ThunderClan weaknesses…"

Thorntail stifled a purr as he heard one she-cat mutter, "And I'm a hedgehog…that's not what you asked at all, you sick little…" Thorntail couldn't hear the end-insult.

Thorntail decided not to comment on whatever sick question about she-cats that Cinnamonfur had asked, and instead meowed, "Already thinking out battle plans? Well…" Thorntail thought for a moment. "All I can think of right now is that when their leader, Streamstar, gets stuck in trees very often and needs her warriors to help her down…and that their warrior, Blackshadow, is terrified of ravens."

"Ravens?" Cinnamonfur echoed, his voice starting to break into an amused purr.

Thorntail nodded, purring at the thought. "He told me he was attacked by a few of them when he was still a kit, and has been terrified of them ever since…but I don't know how RiverClan could use that…"

Cinnamonfur let out another purr, before he slowly backed into the RiverClan cats, probably still embarrassed by whatever question he had asked.

Thorntail looked around at the RiverClan cats curiously, as he answered their questions. Though he had been gone long enough for the former-five-moon old Cinnamonkit to receive his warrior name, not much else had changed. Some cats, like Fishclaw, distrusted him – what else was new? - But then there were others who seemed a little more understanding, and didn't seem surprised at all a former-warrior of RiverClan wasn't going to be so 'former' anymore. In fact, they seemed to be looking at him with…more respect…almost as if he had just come back unscathed from an unusually long spy-mission. Though…Thorntail knew the toms were only looking at him that way because of all the she-cats he had laid down with, and the she-cats were staring at him in awe because they were anticipating fun things.

He blinked in surprise, when he felt something nudging his side. He stared blankly at Owlpelt.

The brown tabby shifted uncomfortably. "Um…Thorntail…Shadenight wants you to see her and Melodykit in the nursery."

Thorntail cringed. He knew this was coming. Shadenight…one of the many warriors in the Clan of memories that had driven him out of RiverClan before. He almost told Owlpelt to tell Shadenight that he would rather if they somehow avoided each other for the rest of forever, but decided against it. He had to face Shadenight.

He excused himself from his Clanmates, and slowly followed Owlpelt towards the nursery. Thorntail felt a prickle of unease, as he padded past the meeting place of RiverClan – a small rise of the earth. Thorntail could all-too-easily recall his warrior ceremony, with Graywhisker. If Thorntail remembered correctly with his holey memory, his identical-looking brother had hesitated in saying "I do" when Duststar had asked him if he would defend his Clan even at the cost of his own life. What's more, when they had been keeping their vigil, Graywhisker didn't meet his eyes…and they had sat on the other ends of camp. And because they were so far apart, it had been easy for Graywhisker to slip out of camp, and go into ThunderClan territory to…

Thorntail had to stop in his tracks, as the memory and guilt began to overwhelm him. Of all things, why had Thorntail told Graywhisker that their 'father' wasn't their father at all? He had known that Graywhisker had respected…and_ loved_ Smokestar. Thorntail looked at his paws. He knew exactly why he had shown Graywhisker the proof that Smokestar was not their father… he had _wanted_ his brother to do just what he had done… He had thought that if Graywhisker was gone…life would've been so much easier…he wouldn't always be the bad to level off with Graywhisker's good…

"Thorntail," Owlpelt looked over his shoulder, his whiskers twitching with curiosity as he gazed at his gray friend at the same time knocking Thorntail out of his reminiscence. "Are you okay?"

Thorntail shook himself. "I'm fine," he had to lie a lot about if he was okay or not recently. "We have to hurry to the nursery, yes?"

…

Thorntail inched into the nursery, giving a curt nod to the only other queen that was in the den with Shadenight.

Shadenight herself was slowly licking a miniature copy of herself that was suckling from her milky belly. Shadenight's fur was still sleek and sparkling like silver, even though it was black.

"Shadenight," Owlpelt padded towards her, and gave his kit a small lick, before he continued saying, "Thorntail is here…you wanted to see him?" Thorntail detected some worry in Owlpelt's voice, as if the brown tabby was worried that he would try and steal his mate.

Shadenight looked up from grooming Melodykit briefly, and gave her mate a soft lick on his ear, which did nothing but make Owlpelt purr with relief. Thorntail waited for her to acknowledge him, but she instantly went back to cleaning her young daughter.

"Shadenight?" Thorntail asked, stepping towards her hesitantly.

She looked up, her sapphire eyes glittering. Thorntail flinched. Those glittering eyes…how he had longed for them so many moons ago, not caring that they were meant only to look at Graywhisker.

However, almost-instantly, Shadenight turned to Owlpelt, and they fell into a conversation. Owlpelt looked confused, but he answered every single one of Shadenight's comments calmly.

Thorntail blinked. Shadenight still had yet to say one word to him…

"Great StarClan, you are immature. You called me in here just to ignore me?" he asked, not sure whether to be flattered that she had gone through so much trouble…or insulted that she was ignoring him. Though… he had wanted her to ignore him, so…

"Yes, that's exactly what she did…" the other queen, a brown tabby that was too-much-in-the shadows for Thorntail to recognize, mumbled.

Thorntail shrugged his shoulders. Things just got easier. He turned to leave, but bumped into Tawnyleaf on the way out.

"Great StarClan, I didn't even scent you there…" he muttered, pushing her out of the way to leave the nursery.

She rolled on the ground for a moment in mock-pain, before she leapt to her paws and padded over to him. She sniffed him for a moment, before she purred, "Thorntail, you still smell like ThunderClan!"

"And you _still _smell like RiverClan!"

Tawnyleaf looked up at him mischievously. "Whoever said it was a bad thing? Thorntail, the apprentices were all out hunting when you came…so they don't know that you're here yet…Don't you like messing with apprentices' heads?"

Thorntail looked at her in awe. What, could this Tawnyleaf read his mind? They literally had just met, and already she was thinking up elaborate, but immature kitten-like pranks that were far below both of them.

"I _love_ messing with apprentices' heads."

…

Thorntail shifted uncomfortably in the reeds of the apprentice's den which would hide his scent, trying to stifle a purr as his acquaintance, the troublesome Tawnyleaf prepared the apprentices for a frightening experience.

"Rainpaw, look over here, at me." Tawnyleaf's voice was harsh. There was a small pause, and though Thorntail couldn't see what was going on, he guessed that Tawnyleaf was waiting to have all the apprentice's attention. "… Anyways, as I was saying before Rainpaw got lost in her daydreams of Cinnamonfur…"

"Hey!"

"Shut up. Anyways, as I was saying before Rainpaw decided to be…Rainpaw… There is something I must tell you two… it's about a ThunderClan cat."

"ThunderClan?" a young tom's voice echoed.

"Oh, yes, Smallpaw. ThunderClan. Anyways, as I was saying… How many times do I have to say 'Anyways as I was saying'? Stop interrupting! Both of you! Now… About ThunderClan… I was on a patrol earlier with…okay, I was alone. Now, I heard their deputy, Sandpelt, speaking to Streamstar… they spoke of a warrior they recently exiled. They spoke of his insanity and strength. Apparently, he is so powerful that with a mere swipe of his paw, he can break a monster in two. They said he was exiled because he literally ate_ two_ apprentices! One was a dark-bluish-black she-cat, and the other was a small, pale tabby tom. When they caught him, he was speaking how he liked to eat apprentices with _those_ colors the best!"

Thorntail tried to fight the purr. He guessed that Smallpaw and Rainpaw, the two apprentices Tawnyleaf was speaking to, had those colors. From the fear-scent that was rising from them, and their soft mewls of worry, Thorntail guessed correctly.

"Scary, huh?" Tawnyleaf asked curiously. "But, that's not the worst part! I scented him…hey…you two haven't seen Thorntail yet?"

"Uh…no?" Thorntail guessed it was Rainpaw who answered from the feminine voice. Either that, or Smallpaw had worse gender issues than Silverleaf had had.

"Good." Tawnyleaf growled. "As I was saying… But that's not the worst part! I scented him come into RiverClan territory! And I followed the scent…to the camp!"

The fear scent was almost overwhelming Thorntail now. "S-so you mean…that mean crazy ThunderClan cat… is here right now?" Rainpaw's voice was a soft mewl.

"And…he likes eating toms with tan tabby pelts?!" Smallpaw cried.

"That's_ exactly_ what I said." Tawnyleaf confirmed. "I felt I should tell you two to keep your eyes open…I would hate to see you two tomorrow as just a heap of bones!" Tawnyleaf's voice lowered. "Be careful. He could be anywhere in camp. I told Duststar about it, but he didn't want you two to know because he thought you would panic. Smallpaw, Rainpaw, as I said…be careful. This crazed ThunderClan cat could be anywhere. He could be watching us right now, in fact…Maybe from the warrior's den. Or maybe he's hidden in Duststar's empty nest….or maybe he's in the apprentice's den!"

At this, Thorntail leapt from the reeds and let out a ferocious growl, which instantly sent the two RiverClan apprentices running away squealing.

Tawnyleaf watched them go, the tip of her tail twitching thoughtfully, before she turned to Thorntail with her leaf-green eyes wide and sparkling. She said something to him, but Thorntail didn't listen. Her leaf-green eyes… they were sparkling with joy. Eyes normally sparkled when their owner was happy…but why was Thorntail able to picture Tawnyleaf's eyes without that sparkle…without any emotion?

Thorntail's ears twitched, when he heard a purr of amusement coming from behind him. He swung his head, to see a tiny, sleek, black she-cat rolling onto her back in a hearty purr, flinging her white paws in the air with joy.

Thorntail didn't recognize the RiverClan she-cat, but he didn't particularly care. He threw his purr in with the black white-pawed warrior, when he realized Tawnyleaf didn't seem too thrilled. In fact, she was looking fiercely at her Clanmate.

"Rinoa," Tawnyleaf growled, which instantly made the cat who had been purring roll back onto her stomach, and look up at the golden-brown former medicine cat with embarrassment.

Thorntail looked at the cat – the odd-named Rinoa, apparently – curiously. From her position before, he had only been able to tell that her paws were white, with the rest of her sleek pelt ebony-black. But now he could see that Rinoa's chest was a powdery white as well, as was her tail-tip. Whatever the color was, however, her pelt sparkled like a warrior of Silverpelt as she stepped into the sun. Thorntail also couldn't help but notice that Rinoa had one blue eye…and one green. All in all, she was beautiful. She rivaled Shadenight… possibly, she was even prettier. Her ears came to a sharper point, and her muzzle was slightly narrower.

Because he was too busy looking Rinoa over, he hadn't heard what Tawnyleaf had been so angry about – and why the pretty, young warrior backed away slowly, before rushing off.

Once Rinoa was gone, Thorntail glanced uneasily at Tawnyleaf who was still glaring at the spot where the black-and-white she-cat had sat. "Rinoa?" he asked carefully. "That's her name?"

Tawnyleaf nodded sourly. "Her mother died while giving birth to her while I was still a loner…at the time, all my kits had already died, and I raised Rinoa myself. One could almost say that she is my surviving kit…"

"Rinoa…" Thorntail meowed softly, before thinking. "Um…what in the name of StarClan is a 'rinoa'?"

Tawnyleaf looked at him impatiently. "I named her after my first-born kit, which was, by then, long-dead."

"But that doesn't answer my question. What is a rinoa?"

Tawnyleaf sighed, exasperated, before flicking her tail towards her fleeing "daughter". "_That_ is a Rinoa."

"What, did you just make funny sounds until you came up with a name?"

"More or less."

"See? _That_ answers my question." Thorntail meowed calmly. He glanced at Tawnyleaf, and couldn't help but notice that he was getting under the golden she-cat's fur, but he couldn't help but press on. "Why did you get so mad at her for purring?"

Tawnyleaf opened her mouth to answer, but was cut off by a soft hiss that Thorntail recognized all too well. "Probably because Rinoa wasn't acting like a good doppelganger."

Thorntail glanced confused, at the RiverClan deputy, Listeningecho, Shadenight's mother. But while Shadenight was pretty, Listeningecho…was…well, not. She had very pale brown tabby fur that, for reasons Thorntail couldn't understand, was eternally ragged. One of her ears was split in two, quite literally…and one of her orange eyes was half-closed. Thorntail didn't know if she was doing it on purpose, or what.

Thorntail didn't know what Listeningecho meant, when she said that Rinoa wasn't acting like a good doppelganger, but whatever it meant, it must've annoyed Tawnyleaf greatly because his new friend's fur started to bristle with fury.

"And you know what they say," Listeningecho continued, licking one of her forepaws thoughtfully. "'A copy is never as good as the original.'"

"I never heard anyone say that…" Thorntail meowed, blinking with confusion.

"That's because you never _listen_." Listeningecho snapped.

Thorntail stared blankly at her for a few heartbeats, before he meowed to Tawnyleaf, "You know, that's another name I don't get. What in the name of StarClan is a 'listening echo'? Echoes listen to me now?"

"It's just a name," Tawnyleaf pointed out, her words sprinkled over with rage. It was obvious she was fighting with herself to not lunge at Listeningecho.

"What in the name of StarClan is a 'thorn tail?" Listeningecho countered sharply.

Thorntail shrugged. "A 'ThornTail' is an herb used to cure the disease known as The Blood, Listeningecho." Thorntail felt a pang as he thought of how Rosethorn had named the herb after him…

The RiverClan deputy seemed to struggle for a retort, but then didn't seem to be able to think of one, so instead she growled, "Didn't Duststar want to see you?"

Thorntail cringed at the thought. He really, really, really didn't want to speak to the RiverClan leader. Duststar had let him join the Clan, and Thorntail was grateful, but not grateful enough to listen to a forever-long debate on whether he would be loyal to RiverClan or not. "Uh…no he didn't?" he asked hopefully.

Listeningecho's fur bristled. "Yes he did. I passed Puddlespots earlier; she told me that she told you…"

"Puddlespots didn't tell me anything."

"Yes she did!" Listeningecho growled.

"I think I would know what Puddlespots told me better than you." Thorntail retorted. "Besides…I already went to see Duststar. Uh…right, Tawnyleaf?" he glanced hopefully at the golden she-cat.

Tawnyleaf looked at him, startled, before she nodded. "Um…yes, you did. Listeningecho, Thorntail already spoke to Duststar."

Listeningecho flashed a confused glance at Thorntail, and then at Tawnyleaf, before she meowed, "Oh…you did?" her eyes narrowed into slits. "Duststar was just looking for you…"

"I just stopped speaking to him." Thorntail lied. "…We've been talking in his den since I got here. We just stopped."

"But I just saw Duststar by the…" Listeningecho began, before Tawnyleaf gently rested her tail on the deputy's shoulder.

"It's common for she-cats that are getting a little…older…to have trouble remembering things." Tawnyleaf meowed softly.

Listeningecho let out a ferocious hiss, but she didn't seem to be able to argue with Tawnyleaf and Thorntail, so she slowly backed away.

Once Listeningecho was out of earshot, Tawnyleaf let out a sigh. "Thorntail, you're going to have to speak to Duststar at some point."

"I'm putting it off as long as I can." Thorntail sighed. He yawned unwillingly, and was instantly alerted that he was…sleepy. "…I think I'm going to go into the Warrior's Den and sleep…" he murmured thoughtfully. "Back at the ThunderClan camp, I fought off ShadowClan…"

Tawnyleaf purred. "Did ThunderClan win?"

"Yes, but just barely. If RiverClan wants SunningRocks back that badly…" his eyes glittered, "now is the time."

Tawnyleaf looked thoughtful. "I'll tell Duststar that. It might distract him long enough for you to get away with avoiding him at all costs…"

"If I put it off long enough, he might forget." Thorntail agreed. "And if he scolds me later, I'll tell him that no cat ever told me about the meeting he wanted to have…and I'll make it up as I go from there."

Tawnyleaf shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever. I really don't care what you do… If you get into too much trouble, if you like, I could get Duststar to let you off. I could get him to call a Clan meeting just to tell all of RiverClan that he was a squirrel…and I have before."

Thorntail examined Tawnyleaf's eyes, searching for whether she was joking or not, feeling amazed when he found out the answer.

Thorntail started to pad towards the Warrior's den, to sleep in it for the first time…since…since… the first night after Graywhisker's death.

Thorntail shoved the thought of his mind. Graywhisker was dead; there was nothing he could do to change that. He'd have to accept that.

"Thorntail,"

He stopped in his tracks, and looked over his shoulder to notice that Tawnyleaf was sheathing and unsheathing her claws. He supposed she was the only she-cat in the forest that could do that seductively. "Thorntail," she repeated her voice a soft purr, "I just thought of something…we just met. Why in the name of StarClan am I going to help you avoid Duststar?"

Thorntail sighed, and turned towards her. "Tawnyleaf, think of how long we've known each other. For almost a whole…quarter of a day. And think of what we have been through in that time. We met…we scared some apprentices…I pleaded for you to not squeal to Duststar…"

"You never pleaded with me…" Tawnyleaf pointed out.

"No, I didn't…but do I have to?"

Tawnyleaf seemed to think about it for a few heartbeats, before she finally shrugged her shoulders. "No, you don't." she sighed. She looked thoughtful. "You know, Thorntail, you remind me of someone, but I can't put my whisker on it."

"I'm having the same problem with you," Thorntail murmured, staring into her leaf-green eyes curiously. "Do…you maybe have any kin?"

Alarm flashed through Tawnyleaf's eyes, before she murmured, "My father and mother both died when I was young…so Hazetail – you should know her. She's been a Clan elder for awhile now," No, Thorntail didn't remember her, but he didn't remember a lot of things. He let her go on, and kept his mouth shut as she went on, "Hazetail mothered me, and Duststar, who was the father of her kits at the time…fathered me. So…no, I really don't have any closely-related kin alive…"

Thorntail stared at her in awe for a few heartbeats. Neither of them had really close kin left… Lightsnow, Thorntail's mother, had died of some disease a little after he was born, and Graywhisker committed suicide…

"So, no kin." Thorntail sighed, getting back on topic. He shrugged. "Well, for some reason, you look familiar, Tawnyleaf."

"You don't look familiar to me at all." Tawnyleaf meowed, cocking her head to one side. "But your _personality_…it just reminds me of someone."

Thorntail shifted uncomfortably. It was quite an awkward conversation – two cats trying to figure out who the other reminded them of, so he reminded Tawnyleaf that he was sleepy, and slipped into the RiverClan warrior's den.

He sniffed about the nests, until he found one that was virtually scentless, and therefore not belonging to anyone. He flopped himself down on it, and looked around the Warrior's den for a few heartbeats. It was one of the most beautiful dens in the forest – it had silver-colored feathers woven into the roof of the nest, and it literally sparkled when the rising sun hit it. It was also one of the few dens in RiverClan that in no way shape of form would remind him of Graywhisker, since his brother had died before he had gotten the chance to sleep in it…

He let out a sigh. It had probably just been one of the longest days of his life. First he had said 'good-bye' to Rosethorn as a mate, then he had fought ShadowClan…and then he had joined RiverClan. _One of my more productive days too, _he decided in a vein attempt to cheer himself up.

He rolled over onto his side. Why did he feel so hollow inside? He was a RiverClan cat again, officially…he had gotten to claw the fur off of Smokestar…he had met a very beautiful she-cat named Tawnyleaf that had seemed as interested in him as he was in her – and seemed so much like him, that she wouldn't mind just one night of fun. And one night of fun only, so there would be no silly attachments and issues. He had… said…good-bye to Rosethorn. The cat that clearly still harbored some fear of him for the sheer reason that he was a tom. The cat that was so daft that she was going to willingly live in the same Clan – in the same den – as…Flamesoul. Rosethorn, the cat who deep down, didn't believe that they had a future together…

He nodded to himself. Rosethorn was very good for him to meet, he would never deny that. But she wasn't meant to be his mate. She was too stubborn…and needy. Always needing to be protected…

He fluttered his eyes closed, trying to keep the scarlet medicine cat out of his mind. But…for some reason, the whole time his eyelids were closed, he heard Rosethorn's yowls of fear and agony…and saw her and Flamesoul in a union that should never happen if one of the parties was unwilling…

His eyes jolted open.

* * *

**WHOO HOO RUSHED ENDINGS! I had to rush it, for...reasons. Anyways, the next chapter is probably mainly about how Rosethorn is fairing in ThunderClan...and I think there will be a Gathering. Not sure...yet. In the next chapter or the one after, there will almost-definately be a Gathering. But don't get your hopes too high...**

**Anyways, review and you'll get a Tawnyleaf plushie. WHOOT! I INTRODUCED A NEW CHARACTER, SO I CAN GIVE YOU A PLUSHIE! I really hope you guys like Tawnyleaf...and if you don't...well... -shrugs-_ I_ like her. And I'm the only one who has a reason to dislike her, since I know what she did to... oh, never mind! STOP TRICKING ME INTO GIVING YOU SPOILERS BY NOT TALKING! -pauses- Just review. **


	23. Chapter 22

**A nice, normal-sized chapter at my average 10 pages. You know, there might not be a Gathering...but there probably will be. But don't worry, you will all know EXACTLY what is going in WindClanClan... **

**Anyways, this chapter is...well, weird. It didn't turn out the way I had wanted it to, and I really don't like the ending. It's the generic fanfiction thing. You see, in fanfictions, all too often to things happen with little or no foreshadowing. Example of unforeshadowed-weirdness in other fanfictions: New cats come to the Clan out of the blue, and they announce that they are Ravenpaw's descendants or something - even though Ravenpaw was never mentioned before in the story or...yeah. No, I haven't ever read a fanfiction where this happens, that is just an example.**

**In my fanfiction, Ebonypaw makes an unforeshadowed decision. -sighs- I knew it was going to happen, but I didn't...oh never mind...-bows head in shame- **

**Back to my usual preparation for the chapter...It goes into several adult points, so...uh...be prepared. You are all going to say 'I didn't need to know about this' but...yes you do. One of the key points of this fanfiction is what Flamesoul did to Rosethorn in the past, otherwise I never would have included it, and instead would have had him murder her father or...something overly-used and generic like that... No, there is _no_ r--e sequence that I describe in this...specific chapter... Though I _almost_ had the most detailed memory of Rosethorn's that you would ever get to hear in this fic, but I decided against it, and made it much cleaner...**

**If I was giving my chapters names, by the way, I would probably call this one 'Rosethorn's Insanity' or something similar. I didn't pull it off well, but I still think you'll understand where she's coming from...maybe. It's not written that well, but...well, I'm sorry. **

**Review times:**

**Daklotles85 - You know, you didn't give me any critisism (Still, I don't know how to spell that word.) and you didn't flame me...but I don't think I've ever been more insulted in a review. I hate to be rude - I normally love your reviews, because you often give me a lot of tips and corrections, which really help me...but all you really did was tell me that you didn't read the last chapter. All your reviews have been like that, you can never read the whole thing...which is really insulting to me. If you don't have time to read it, don't read it. It just hurts my feelings everytime...oh, nevermind. I'm sorry if this seems a little too...rude...but you know... -sniffles- I hope you won't be mad at me... **

**Mapleleaf - Some things in your long review are right, some are wrong. -cackles evilly- Thanks for the review, Mapleleaf! **

**Peachfoot - I said earlier that Tawnyleaf is either a character you love, or you hate. lol. Apparently, you hate her. **

**lmblovesmilk - xD Thank you! -pauses for a moment and makes puppy dog eyes- Does that mean I'm on your favorites list? lol. If I'm not, that's fine. I was just wondering. Thanks for all your reviews! **

**Spottedmoon - any time you want me to put 'nice' pictures in your head, you just ask. You might want to skip this chapter then, since it is told entirely in Rosethorn's POV, and...she's thinking...about... things. BEWARE! **

**Pearl.H.Sweden - Tawnyleaf is supposed to be a lot like Thorntail...but you're right. There is something different about her...something I can't put my finger on either - And I'm the one who created her. -shivers- She took on a mind of her own... Anyways, if you don't know who Tawnyleaf resembles, that's okay. Of course, it really isn't a secret at all...but I'm not going to say anything because it hasn't occured to Thorntail yet... And I mentioned ONCE before that Blackshadow was afraid of ravens...but I just _mentioned_ it. It's not a big part of the story... -gives cookie for no reason whatsoever- Oh, and by the way, I think my writing skills failed me. To make it clear: Thorntail thought that GRAYWHISKER was talking to him, when he had a loopy moment with Owlpelt. Remember? I mentioned that Owlpelt's voice got deeper and more like Thorntail's - or Graywhisker's - and he mentioned 'We were born together, so we were going to die together too.' I'm sorry I didn't write clear enough for you to understand! -smacks self- The fact that Thorntail thinks that Graywhisker wants him to commit suicide - or that Graywhisker really does want Thorntail to commit suicide - is a very key element... I had to make that clear. THANKS FOR THE LONG REVIEW PEARL.H.SWEDEN! I LOVE 'DOS! **

**Watersoul the Head Star Walker - Foreshadowed? lol. Ravenfeather practically toddled up to Thorntail, clawed him in the face and outright told him who Tawnyleaf is a few chapters before! That's not foreshadowing, that is downright TELLING. Thanks for reviewing, by the way!**

**Rabbitstorm - Thanks for reviewing!**

**Silversnow of the Moors - Best chapter yet? Ah, so you must be the type who likes fillers. lol. The last chapter was just...well, just there to stretch a length of time out. And since it was happy-go-lucky it makes this one seem all the darker. **

**Strangefur - I've always been confused about that. I've wondered for a LONG time which was used when...but I never actually figured it out. -hugs- thanks for telling me. And...how d you spell critism? I keep spelling it wrong, and...nobody is telling me how to spell it! Help? Please? **

**Squirrelflightlover - _Thorntail _should kill Flamesoul? What did Flamesoul ever do to _Thorntail_? **

**Oh, the teasers I give. You can tell I'm going slightly egotystical...sorry. -bows head in shame. Again.- Um... **

**Enjoy, **

* * *

The dark ginger medicine cat let her petite paws dangle against the drop of the land that marked the RiverClan border, her cerulean eyes staring blankly at the flowing river. She scarcely noticed how high the sun was rising, or how long she had been gone from camp. 

Only one thing beamed in her mind.

_Thorntail is gone. _

As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew Applefur had been right when she had stated that once Thorntail went to RiverClan…he would find another, most likely prettier, she-cat to occupy his heart. Her own heart twisted at the very thought.

_Thorntail… _

The very thought of the rugged, gray-pelted warrior made her heart race, but with anger instead of the normal flood of affection. No, her fury was not directed at her warrior who had been her guardian. Instead her rage was cut evenly between herself and Flamesoul…

_Flamesoul_. Without meaning to, she shuddered.

Even though Thorntail hadn't even been gone one full day yet, she already felt herself slowly slinking back into the reclusive shell she had created to protect herself from Flamesoul many moons ago. She had never really come out of it, even when her mentor had left…until Thorntail had more or less grabbed her by the throat and viciously ripped her out. After that, she had been able to hide behind _him_. She hadn't needed her shell to protect her, she had been confident that the sturdy stone-colored tomcat would always stand like a boulder between her and a forest of creatures that wanted to bring her harm.

She couldn't hide behind him anymore.

She closed her eyes. Before, for some reason, while Thorntail was still in ThunderClan, she had felt that, given time, she and Thorntail would smooth things over just like they always did… She wanted to claw herself for thinking such a thing. No cat could deny that they had been through a lot together… but, it seemed, that it was all over.

Now that Thorntail was gone…she seemed to realize for the first time how much he had meant to her. Why had she thought that he would stay around forever? What had she been thinking? Didn't she, of all cats, know that nothing good lasts for eternity? StarClan hated her, and did not _want _her to be happy. She had known that for most of her life. That was why they hadn't blessed her with a spine like most other Clan cats… That was why everybody that she had ever loved was either dead or had left her. StarClan hadn't blessed her with any extraordinary gifts… she wasn't feisty like Applefur, or noble like Blackshadow, beautiful like Shadenight, powerful like Badgerclaw, or…even a fantastic healer, like Flamesoul was.

Bitterness overwhelmed all of Rosethorn's senses, drowning out all the feelings of heartbreak. StarClan had never done anything to punish Flamesoul for what he had done either…he had done terrible things to his apprentice that had to be against the warrior code, and yet… they punished Rosethorn instead of him. And why not? She was the dirty one. The impure one. The one who had dreams of murder… Of slashing, of cutting, of blood…scarlet blood. Warm blood. The tasty blood of cold revenge.

_Of course_ StarClan would not want Thorntail to be contaminated by her. Even though he had been born in a rather peculiar way, it was clear that the warrior ancestors loved that gray warrior. They had blessed him with the looks of one of their own, strength, agility… He was perfect.

An explosion of amused purrs interrupted her guilt-journey. Momentarily distracted, Rosethorn rose to her paws and padded deeper into her Clan's territory, and away from the RiverClan border, her heart aching more and more with each passing step, knowing that she was getting further, and further away from Thorntail. The smooth, sun-warmed stones of SunningRocks felt hot under her paws, though her blood turned to ice as she peered out from behind one of the many boulders that were sprinkled about that patch of territory to see the young warrior, Aquamist, rolling onto her back and starting to purr as her companion, the tan tabby Beakclaw began to almost viciously groom her ears.

"Oh no, the mighty ShadowClan warrior is going to take me!" Aquamist cried out in mock-fear. Her viridian eyes were alight with joy, as she tried to rise to her paws to "escape" Beakclaw, who was growling menacingly, clearly trying to pretend to be a ShadowClan cat.

Rosethorn felt her eyes round in horror. They were playing a mating game! Beakclaw was pretending to be a ShadowClan cat that was going to take Aquamist… They found this game _fun_?

"Yes, he is!" Beakclaw announced, rubbing his neck against the flank of his feminine Clanmate. "Oh, fair, ThunderClan warrior! Prepare to be mine!"

Ebonypaw's sister rolled her eyes, and their sick mating-game's mood clearly ended. "Oh, come now, Beak_claw_, what kind of cat says that?"

"Does it matter, Aqua_mist_?" Beakclaw asked. Though he sounded disappointed that the game had ended before the peak of the 'fun' as Thorntail would have called it, he still sounded very excited. His excitement did nothing but disgust Rosethorn. What was he excited for? _Violence! That's all! Violence and fox-dung! _

Rosethorn glanced hatefully at Beakclaw. All the tan tabby wanted was to mate with Aquamist! She looked at the blue-gray she-cat indignantly. She doubted Beakclaw gave two mouse-tails for Aquamist, other than for the fact they shared a Clan. All Beakclaw wanted, like all toms, was to mate! Mate! That cruel, violent act always seemed to entertain the twisted beasts…

"No, I suppose it doesn't, Beak_claw_." Aquamist purred, her annoyance vanishing in an instant. She leaned over, and whispered something softly in her mate's ear. Rosethorn guessed it was something seductive, because Beakclaw's fiery-orange orbs lit up in an instant.

Rosethorn wondered briefly why they were always emphasizing the end of both their names, when she remembered that they probably had just finished sitting their warrior's vigil. They clearly were both still excited by the prospect at having their full names that they very likely would carry until they joined StarClan…and became aroused when their "beloved" called them by their new title. It made her gag.

She cringed, as Aquamist allowed Beakclaw to rub his muzzle into her side, while entwining his tail with hers. She tried to shake the image of Aquamist's eyes rounding with a mixture of pain and terror while letting out terrifies yowls of distress, as Beakclaw let out purrs of amusement…

Aquamist muttered something else in Beakclaw's ear, before she rose to her paws and bounded off, flicking her tail for her mate to follow…which he eagerly did.

As soon as they were gone, Rosethorn looked at her paws in shame at the thoughts that had leapt around in her head about the two young warriors. Aquamist and Beakclaw hadn't done anything in front of her…and even if they had, Aquamist seemed like she _was_ in the mood to enjoy it… Why did she feel like what they were doing was wrong? They were two pure-blooded ThunderClan warriors…in love. Had she _already _forgotten what that was like?

Love. Why did she doubt what that was? Surely love was what she and Thorntail had once shared… not what Flamesoul had done? And why did she already feel once more that every tom had nothing on their minds but preying on young she-cats?

…

Rosethorn slipped into her den, her paws feeling as heavy as the four great oaks in FourTrees, as she realized how exhausted she was. She hadn't slept since...the night she had discovered Flamesoul was rejoining the Clan. That had been one day ago. In that one day…in just that one day… everything she and Thorntail had been established had shattered.

She stopped midway to her nest, as she noticed the one that belonged to Ebonypaw lying empty… though; she wasn't surprised that it was empty. It was sun-high; her spunky little apprentice was probably running around helping her Clanmates, or getting messages from StarClan…or remaining innocent and pure like _most _medicine cats.

Even so, she couldn't tear her sapphire eyes from the mossy nest that Ebonypaw slept in every night, not knowing what had happened there. So many moons ago… when Flamesoul had stolen everything from her. _Her_ faith in StarClan, _StarClan's_ faith in her, her true right to be a medicine cat, her innocence, and her joy. This was not to say he hadn't given anything to her. He most definitely had given a young cat that didn't even know the whole concept of mating instinctively yet, a lesson on what it was like to hate someone so much you dreamed of their death with pure joy.

All too easily could she imagine that empty apprentice's nest occupied. Not by a napping medicine cat apprentice, who was listening to the pawsteps of StarClan as they padded in her dreams… but by a scarlet she-cat. A scarlet she-cat writhing in pain, flailing her paws in the air, and sobbing uncontrollably as a huge fire-pelted tom twisted on top of her, soothing her with soft coos and declarations of love while at the same time doing something that no creature…not even the foxes who killed for cold blood…could _ever_ call loving

Rosethorn felt her breath hitch in her throat. She could remember all too well the experiences she had to bear as an apprentice. The shame, the humiliation, that emotion that had welled up inside her those many moons ago that at the time she couldn't name. That emotion that made her blood boil, that made her see red, that made her lie awake at night. Hate.

The memories flowed through Rosethorn's mind like the river in its bank. StarClan's cruel visions of _exactly_ what would happen to her down to every hair on her mentor's pelt – but _never_ telling the time or location so young Rosepaw could avoid her fate, Flamesoul's green eyes burning into her own, her mentor's rants about how if she struggled too much her father up in StarClan would never forgive her…the fiery stars of Silverpelt as she and Thorntail sat side by side with pelts brushing against one another, Thorntail's azure eyes that had flashed with fires of warm, kind excitement whenever he had saw her, her mate's warm words of love and hope…

Rosethorn was distracted from her memories, when she felt her pelt prickle with unease. Instinctively, she felt that a cat was in the den with her…

Her heart pounded. Two toms in the entire forest had snuck into her den before. Flamesoul had snuck in many times in the past to force himself on her, and Thorntail had snuck in so he wouldn't be noticed visiting the medicine cat too often…

Her heart was torn between fear and hope.

Slowly, she looked over her shoulder.

Nobody. Nobody was in the den with her. The medicine cat's den was empty of anything, besides herself and the many herbs that could heal physical wounds.

Rosethorn looked down at her paws. In her life, two toms had more or less ruled her, in either affection or cruelty. One she loved, one she despised. She had ended up allowing just one of them to remain in ThunderClan with her. Which one had she chosen?

The answer to that, along with the memories of both of them, was what made Rosethorn throw herself onto Ebonypaw's nest, and break out into a spasm of uncontrollable sobs…just like she had as an apprentice living through a nightmare. A nightmare that she felt was going to begin again…

…

"Rosethorn, wake up! Rosethorn, wake up! Rosethorn, wake up _now_!"

Rosethorn slowly opened her blue irises, to stare into the bluish-silver Clanmate, Twilightfur. Silverleaf's sister looked frantic, with her aquamarine eyes wide and round.

Rosethorn shook herself gently, and rose off of Ebonypaw's nest. She pieced together quickly that she must have fallen asleep after…

She didn't think about that any longer as the warm scent of blood entered her nostrils. Instantly, she felt her neck fur bristle with anxiety. "Twilightfur, you're bleeding!" she gasped, looking at a large gash in the former ShadowClan warrior's side.

"I-I know, but that's not important right now. Rosethorn, Icepelt-"

Rosethorn cut her off, unable to ignore the stream – no, the _waterfall _of blood that was pouring down Twilightfur's side. Already, there was a small puddle of the crimson liquid under their paws. "Twilightfur, _this is_ very important. You could bleed to death!"

"I can put cobwebs on myself!" Twilightfur meowed impatiently. "Rosethorn, Icepelt and I were hunting by the ShadowClan border…and… oh, great StarClan just go help her! I dragged her to camp, but she…she doesn't look too good..."

Rosethorn's instincts were yowling at her to not leave Twilightfur's side, but she knew, that if the injured cat before her had to drag Icepelt back to camp…her ivory-pelted Clanmate probably wasn't in any better shape.

Not wasting a heartbeat, Rosethorn was able to grab cobwebs and poppy seeds in her jaws in a single bite, before she charged out of the den.

…

Rosethorn's eyes rounded in horror, as she padded to the shadow of the HighRock, where Twilightfur had laid the white-furred Icepelt. Her mouth rounded into a gape, which, in turn, made her drop the herbs to the earth beneath her.

Rosethorn could hardly recognize the cat at her paws as Icepelt. Icepelt's most distinguishing feature had been her pelt, the color of clouds and snow, with no imperfections on it such as brown spots or gray patches… But now, the pure-white pelt was_ covered_ in blood. Rosethorn could not detect a single white hair.

Rosethorn examined the body of Icepelt wildly, trying to ignore the cloudy oak-tree-colored stare that her dying, but still conscious Clanmate…as well as the gazes of the other ThunderClan cats, who were slowly gathering around to see the matter.

Rosethorn shook her head in horror. She couldn't see the wound! Icepelt's fur was too thick…and her whole body was so red…that she couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary _except for the fact that Icepelt was dying._

Rosethorn tried to use her paws to part Icepelt's fur, trying to search for the slash, or slash_es_, that had sent the once-white she-cat into such a predicament. Even though she was concentrating, she couldn't help but overhear the comments the other ThunderClan cats were making.

"…So the battle with ShadowClan isn't over after all. They've made their intentions clear. So…you say Twilightfur and Icepelt were just hunting by the border and out of nowhere they attacked?" to Rosethorn, it sounded like the voice belonged to Morninglight, but she couldn't be sure.

"I think so…but I'm not sure." Badgerclaw answered his voice scarcely audible.

Rosethorn backed away from Icepelt, and looked around at the gathered ThunderClan cats. There was no way she could search the whole of Icepelt's body for the wounds before her Clanmate bled to death…alone. "Where's Ebonypaw?" she asked no one in particular, but she expected an answer.

Her Clanmates spoke urgently to one another, as if trying to add all their accounts together to figure out where Ebonypaw had been last seen…when Morninglight stepped forward, the fur on her neck bristling probably out of worry for her Clanmate. "She was speaking to Streamstar around Tallpines last time I saw her."

Rosethorn blinked. What were her mother and apprentice speaking about? She shook her head, deciding to worry about that later. As much as she hated asking it, she knew that the fire-pelted tom would have a lot of help to offer. "And…Flamesoul?"

"He's out collecting herbs…I saw him when I was hunting with Shrewtail earlier," Badgerclaw murmured.

Rosethorn's heart wrenched in her chest. It was her responsibility, and her responsibility alone to make sure that the bleeding cat lying beside her didn't pad to StarClan…But the thing was, she didn't know _how_ to help Icepelt! She stared helplessly at the bloody she-cat. Icepelt was going to die! Die! _Die! _

Rosethorn shook her head violently, and began her search for the wound once more. Whatever her apprenticeship had been like, Flamesoul _had_ taught her some things before that fateful night… and once her nightmare had ended, the other medicine cats had taught her like she was their own apprentice. She _had_ _the training_. She _was_ a medicine cat. She _would _save Icepelt.

Quickly deciding that for so much blood to come from a wound, Icepelt's neck was the most probable place to be injured. Having narrowed it down, Rosethorn started to brush the bushy fur away with her forepaw…until she found it. She inwardly grimaced as she noticed the ruby wound in Icepelt's shoulder. To Rosethorn, it seemed as long as a mountain was tall, and as deep as a canyon. However, having at least found the main source of the blood that was quickly leaving Icepelt's body, Rosethorn's spirits lifted. She calmly pressed the cobwebs against the injury to stop it from bleeding even more… and added more when the silky webs had turned red with blood.

Rosethorn backed away a few pawsteps, feeling her chest flutter with panic. What did she do now? She had stopped the bleeding…but there had to be something else to do… Icepelt had lost so much blood…

Rosethorn squeaked, as she saw Icepelt flail her forepaws into the air, and let out a hiss of agony. The medicine cat looked helplessly at her. What was wrong? She had stopped the bleeding…what was wrong with Icepelt? Maybe…she was just in pain?

Rosethorn noticed that Icepelt's eyes started to fog, and she narrowed them into slits, as if trying to go into the nice embrace of unconsciousness but not yet able too. Rosethorn used a paw to roll some of the poppy seeds towards the bloody warrior.

"Stay with me, Icepelt."

Rosethorn jumped, when she saw her huge mentor looming beside the once-white warrior. She had been so focused on Icepelt; she hadn't even noticed Flamesoul come forward.

Flamesoul looked up from the warrior, and his emerald eyes met Rosethorn's sapphire. He gave her some swift order, but Rosethorn didn't hear it. Fear wrapped around her like a powerful snake, making her incapable to even think straight or even let out limbs shake with terror. Those emerald eyes…those accursed emerald eyes. All too easily she could imagine them searing into hers as she flailed about, yowling to keep all her terror, agony, and hatred of the fire-pelted tomcat from building up inside her.

"Rosethorn!" Flamesoul's voice was harsh, in the tone she was used to scolding her for being loud, and telling her something that at the time she had believed to be a lie: That if she didn't accept his advances, StarClan would turn a blind eye towards her.

"Rosethorn," Flamesoul growled, a little louder now. Rosethorn, realizing what was going on, pricked her ears to listen. "Rosethorn, whatever you do, don't let Icepelt go unconscious. If she does, she might not ever wake up."

The order being given, Flamesoul wrapped a more strategically-placed cobweb over Icepelt's wound. For a few heartbeats, Rosethorn just stood rigid_. Don't let Icepelt go unconscious? _She was about to give her poppy seeds just for that purpose.

Her ignorance had almost killed Icepelt!

Rosethorn began to murmur soft mews of encouragement to the ThunderClan warrior, trying to keep her awake, while Flamesoul used roots and berries to help Icepelt in areas Rosethorn hadn't even known were wounded.

"Icepelt, it'll be okay. You're going to be fine," Rosethorn mewed softly into her ear, though she wasn't completely sure if she was telling the truth or not.

As much as Rosethorn knew she should be paying attention to Flamesoul's actions, so she would know how to help cats in similar predicaments as Icepelt in the future, but she couldn't bring herself to. Looking at him made her feel sick…

He was letting out a soft purr, which did nothing to help Rosethorn fight back the dark recollections that were rising up from the shadowy corners of her mind. Purring…Flamesoul's purring always meant bad. Whenever Flamesoul purred, Rosethorn somehow pieced together, she was either mating with her mentor, or going to be mating with him shortly. If you could call what he did to her "mating."

Then she shook herself. She was a full-grown cat now, not an apprentice. And Flamesoul was probably happy about something else…he would never do anything to her in front of all the ThunderClan warriors.

Then she heard the purrs multiply. All the purrs at once sounded like the roar of a monster on the Thunderpath… Rosethorn jerked her head around, to see that all the ThunderClan cats were sharing in Flamesoul's joy.

Her heart wrenched. Badgerclaw was purring too. Shrewtail was purring. Beakclaw was purring. Swiftfoot… Blackshadow! Even Blackshadow was purring… Why was she surprised? They were toms! Rosethorn forgot that of those cats, only Blackshadow was aware of what the flame-furred medicine cat had done to his apprentice, and felt the fur on her neck bristle. Of course every single one of them, even Blackshadow, _admired _Flamesoul for doing what he had done! After all, every single tom wanted to do the same thing! They all wanted a she-cat, and they didn't care whether she was willing or not! Fox dung! Pieces of fox dung, every single one of them!

She noticed some other cats purring as well…Aquamist, Applefur, and Dusktail… why were they happy? Didn't they know what the toms wanted to do to her? To them? Were they all mad? Or maybe…they_ wanted_ a tom to do that to them! They enjoyed it! They enjoyed a tom on top of them, eyes burning into theirs, cruel eyes that ignored the cries of pain, and pleas of mercy… _They were sick!_ Every single one of them! They enjoyed pain, enjoyed shame, enjoyed agony…

Rosethorn let out a ferocious hiss that instantly made all the cats' purrs stop short. Rosethorn flexed her claws, and lashed her tail. For some reason, the actions made her feel powerful. "You sick little pieces of fox dung!" she swore, glancing at every single one of her Clanmates in turn. "Do you enjoy forcing pain on others? Do you enjoy pain? Don't any of you know what it's like? You're crazy, every single one of you! All sick in the head! Despicable!" her fury grew, when she noticed every single one of the ThunderClan cats staring at her, their eyes wide, as if shocked. No…they weren't shocked. They just didn't want to miss it! They _wanted_ Flamesoul to force himself on her – and they wanted to watch! The toms' idolized him for being so bold, and the she-cats dreamed he would do it to them! How she hated them!

"You want to watch, don't you?" she sneered. "You just love Flamesoul so much, and will watch in awe at anything he does! You love Flamesoul and hate me! Just like StarClan…just like StarClan! Traitors! All of you! You claim to fight under the Warrior Code, yet in the shadows you are just like the rogue without a law_! Except worse, much worse!_"

Rosethorn swung her head, daring any cat to challenge her. But she knew they couldn't. How could they, when everything she said had been true?

Then one voice rang out. "Um…well…um…okay, then." The former deputy, Swiftfoot was staring at her through narrowed eyes. "…Rosethorn, are you okay? We're happy because Flamesoul said that Icepelt was going to be alright…is…is there something wrong with that?"

Rosethorn hardly heard the tabby tom at all. Instead, she glanced at the nursery, to see Tiberkit and Robinkit peeking through the brambles. Those were Swiftfoot's kits.

Rosethorn narrowed her eyes coldly as she met Swiftfoot's golden-brown gaze. "You're the father of Tiberkit and Robinkit, aren't you? To father those kits, did you, or did you _not_ hurt Sandpelt? You hurt her, watched her writhe, heard her cries, and felt glad! Glad, glad, glad, glad, _glad_!" she swung her head to stare at the Clan deputy, Sandpelt, who sat right beside Swiftfoot. "And _you_! You're no better! You enjoyed the pain! You _enjoyed_ the agony! You got pleasure from it! Wrong pleasure! Sick pleasure!"

She waited for Sandpelt or Swiftfoot to object, but they didn't. They just exchanged horrified glances. And why not? They had been found out! Now every cat knew just how crazy they were! Not that it mattered…every cat in the Clan was the same way!

She waited for another cat to speak up, for yes; she knew every single one of them at least _wanted _a mate. Wanted to inflict pain or feel pain.

The silence seemed to last for a moon…during which time, Rosethorn was able to realize what she had just done. She hadn't revealed anything that Flamesoul had done, but she certainly had been able to insult almost all of the ThunderClan cats in that were camp… She flattened her ears against her head, and shuffled her paws in embarrassment, hardly noticing the events that took place as Twilightfur limped to the medicine cat's den, with Badgerclaw and Aquamist in toe, carrying the still-living Icepelt's body there as well. A soft murmur of confusion broke out, before slowly – Rosethorn noticed that most of her Clanmates walked ever so slowly – they backed away from her and went on with their duties.

"Rosethorn," she looked up, to see Blackshadow padding towards her in a swift trot. "Are you okay?" His voice was quiet. "Applefur and I hadn't seen you since you ran after Thorntail, and we got worried…and now you come back acting like this…Are you okay?"

Rosethorn shuffled her paws, flushing underneath her fur. "I'm fine." She lied. She wanted to tell the ebony-pelted tomcat everything, but she couldn't bring herself to. But her mind was racing. How could she live like this? She was constantly afraid and jumpy because Flamesoul was in the Clan… But, today was the perfect example of why he was needed. If he hadn't been there today, Icepelt would have died… because he was in ThunderClan, she had lived. Flamesoul was the best thing for ThunderClan, but the worst thing for Rosethorn.

"Rosethorn," she swung her head to see Flamesoul slowly padding towards her. She heard Blackshadow let out a threatening hiss – or was it she who hissed? She wasn't sure.

Either way, Flamesoul paid no attention to it and sat on his haunches, calmly wrapping his tail around his giant paws. He was meowing something to her, but Rosethorn didn't hear him. She was concentrating on a curious scar in his flank. It was so tiny, almost like a kit had made it…

Rosethorn felt her neck fur bristle. _She_ had made that scar when she was still Flamesoul's apprentice! And when? When Flamesoul was on top of her…doing something that _still_ gave her nightmares every night! One of young Rosepaw's flailing paws must have caught onto his side and slash down as hard as she could, in an attempt to scare him off of her? But it hadn't worked. Nothing ever worked.

"Rosethorn?" Flamesoul asked, staring at her curiously. "Rosethorn? Did you hear me?"

Regaining a scrap of sanity, Rosethorn was able to force herself to shake her head no.

"Ebonypaw spoke to me earlier. She needs to tell you something… I think you should go meet her by the…Owl Tree I think she said."

"I thought she was speaking to Streamstar…" Rosethorn murmured.

"She did…but right afterward she spoke to me…You really should go see her, Rosethorn. I can take care of Icepelt here."

_Of course he could._ Flamesoul was the greatest medicine cat who ever lived…so it appeared. Not a wound he couldn't heal, not a true patient had he lost. Unlike a certain medicine cat that Rosethorn knew all too well…

Rosethorn meowed a good-bye to Blackshadow, before she slipped through the Gorse Tunnel, and left the camp.

…

Rosethorn's paws bounced against the ground beneath him, clearly as eager as their owner to get as far away from the ThunderClan camp as possible. She still felt hot under her fur after what she had done. She hoped that no cat would remember it, and that maybe StarClan might…somehow wipe all of their memories, but she knew that her warrior ancestors were never so merciful.

Not to her, at least.

She shook herself gently. What was happening to her? She was either lonely and depressed for Thorntail's leaving, or angry and slightly crazed over Flamesoul's staying in the Clan…

She glanced down at her paws; said mentioned depression overwhelming her, as she realized how many times she and Thorntail had walked the path together with pelts brushing against one another. Occasionally, her big gray warrior would lick her ear or murmur a few words of affection or comfort…

For a few heartbeats, she felt like Thorntail was still with her, and warmth overwhelmed her. A bounce flew into her step, and she looked playfully at the broad-shouldered cat "beside her". He met her sapphire gaze with his own, filled with the love and admiration that she had grown used to basking in.

"I knew you wouldn't ever really leave me, Thorntail." She murmured softly, intertwining her tail with his. "I love you."

Thorntail let out a chuckle of amusement. "That's 'cause I'm lovable."

"Hey!" she looked down at the earth sheepishly, knowing that Thorntail did love her, even if he wasn't saying it. She felt lightheaded and happy, knowing that he was next to her once more. "Seriously though, Thorntail…I really do love you. I don't know how I would be able to handle the situation with Flamesoul if you weren't here with me." She waited for an answer. "Thorntail?" She looked up curiously at where the gray tomcat had been walking step for step with her. Panic overwhelmed her, when she realized he was gone. She looked around wildly, wondering if he had hidden himself behind a fern or something…

She looked over at her tail. She had entwined it with Thorntail's before so…

Her heart lurched when she realized that she had wrapped he scarlet tail around…thin air.

Rosethorn padded on, painfully aware of how alone she was. She blinked curiously, as she realized she felt fear clinging to her chest. Why was she afraid? She was once used to being alone…in her later days of being an apprentice. In her earlier days…

She looked around wildly, half-expecting to see her mentor lumber out from behind a tree…padding towards a terror stricken apprentice…

Scaring herself, Rosethorn surged forward, pounding her paws against the earth beneath her, her heart thudding quickly in her chest as she tried to escape - That was just it. She didn't know what she was trying to escape. She just felt afraid of nothing, and needed to run.

As the Owl Tree that Flamesoul had said Ebonypaw was waiting by came into sight, Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with her. She was running from nothing, she had cursed at her Clanmates, and she had seen an imaginary Thorntail padding along with her. Was she…losing her mind?

She didn't have the knowledge or courage to answer that question, and luckily she didn't have time to either. She noticed the black pelt of Ebonypaw against the brown bark of the Owl Tree almost instantly, and she padded towards her young apprentice.

"Rosethorn," Ebonypaw purred rising to her paws. She briefly pressed her muzzle against Rosethorn's scarlet flank, before she backed away her green eyes darkening for reasons Rosethorn didn't understand. However, those green eyes…those dark green eyes of Ebonypaw…all too easily she could see them surrounded by a fiery orange face…

"Rosethorn," Ebonypaw meowed softly, her voice knocking Rosethorn from her thoughts. Rosethorn stared at her apprentice, her pelt prickling with curiosity. What was troubling the night-pelted she-cat?

"What is it?" Rosethorn prompted.

Ebonypaw didn't seem to be able to meet her eyes. "Um…I spoke to Streamstar about this, and she told me it was okay as long as both you and Flamesoul agree and have no objections. I already spoke to Flamesoul…" Ebonypaw paused. "He was… eerily easy to convince. Anyways, Flamesoul and Streamstar both have no objections, so that leaves you."

Rosethorn narrowed her eyes. Something about Ebonypaw's tone told her that the little black she-cat wasn't going to give her news that Rosethorn would define as 'good'.

"Um…right. How to say this…" Ebonypaw seemed to be staring at Rosethorn's ears, instead of her eyes, and Rosethorn wondered if that was significant. "I think I might change my calling…I think I am going to train as a warrior instead."

Rosethorn felt her heart thump quickly in her chest. Ebonypaw was… _No!_ Ebonypaw was so far in her training, and so talented. She already knew all of the herbs and their uses…She had so much experience… "Why?!"

Ebonypaw looked down at her paws, and muttered something inaudible, before she mewed louder, "I'm not cut out to be a medicine cat. And it won't be long until I receive my warrior name if I switch now, Streamstar says. I can fight as good as any warrior thanks to the training sessions you took me to with Thorntail…" the mention of her name made Rosethorn's stomach twist into a knot with heartbreak, but if Ebonypaw noticed she didn't make any acknowledgement and swept on. "And you should see my hunting skills! Streamstar says that she'll have one the warriors assess me, and if I am warrior-fit, I might be able to get my warrior name _tomorrow_."

"Tomorrow?" Rosethorn rasped. That was so soon! She stared down t Ebonypaw, unsure of what to say. Thorntail, Ebonypaw…was every cat trying to abandon her? "…Ebonypaw, if you're impatient about your name, you know…you'll be receiving it very soon. You know that, right?"

"But I don't want to be a medicine cat…I want to be a warrior." Ebonypaw's voice sounded like she was unsure if she was positive or not, and this gave Rosethorn a spark of hope.

"Why don't you think it over more, Ebonypaw?" Rosethorn asked, her voice shaking like a leaf on the breeze. "I saw absolutely no hints of you losing your interest in the path you chose when you were a kit…"

"I _have_ to be a warrior." Ebonypaw growled.

"Why?"

"I've told you, I'm not cut out to be a medicine cat!"

"But you are!" Rosethorn cried. "You're amazing, Ebonypaw! You were born for it, it's your destiny! No cat who is that skilled with herbs and healing is supposed to be a warrior!" A thought – or maybe denial - dawned on Rosethorn, and she let out a purr. "Oh, I get it, Ebonypaw. This is when you tell me that it was all an elaborate joke to make me leap out of my fur, right?"

"No, this is when I tell you I'm pregnant."

* * *

**Yes, I'm a fan of the sitcom Roseanne, why do you ask? Yes, I know Darlene says something similar to what Ebonypaw just did in that show...but... Hey, at least I'm admitting it! **

**-coughs-** **I told you. I'm not happy with how this ended... Now...plushie, plushie, plushie... -pauses to think- Icepelt plushie? -shrugs- Why not? **

**Review, and you get an Icepelt plushie. **


	24. Chapter 23

**Okay, right. Prepare to be disappointed! My last chapter was written fairly well...this one...not so much. This one _is_ more light-hearted...and I hope you enjoy. And no, you aren't supposed to really care about Rinoa, Icefire and Cinnamonfur yet. Don't worry if you feel no sympathy for them. Or Tawnyleaf. **

**This chapter started off...okay, I guess, but then I hit the conversation between Rosethorn and Ebonypaw, and...I'm sorry everyone, but I had trouble getting the right emotions and...stuff in there. So it's written badly, and you'll hate it...but I had to get through that. In fact, this whole chapter is written badly. But you see, it isn't as serious as the one previously, so...I almost automatically shift into 'comedy' style when you use little or no description other than who is speaking, and the word 'meow'. And I wrote this whole thing in an hour or so - I had to be quick, or my eyes would be clawed out by my brother, or the power would go out...or something. So...yeah. **

**Anyways, yes, Thorntail's mother is mentioned in here. I thought I should plant her all in your minds because soon...third in the trilogy soon...we learn more about her, and I felt I should remind you all who she is. **

**And for everyone's information, catnip and poppy seeds get cats HIGH. That's what Tawnyleaf is talking about, when it comes up...except she says 'loopy.' Uh...right. Review replies!**

**Mapleleaf - I've been busy! -pouts-**

**Swanfeather - I'm not that insane... **

**Virginia Forever - What are you confused about? Tell me, because that means I didn't write well enough to get the point across clear - tell me, so I can avoid that mistake in the future. :-)**

**Daklotles85 - Hate you? Of course not! I just had my feelings hurt is all! -huggles- **

**Strangefur - Thank you! Anyways, I don't think Silverleaf shows up again in this story. He comes back in the third of the trilogy. And since this one only has a few more chapters to go...well, you'll be happy. But he will be mentioned in the Gathering, so I think you'll figure out why he hasn't had the chance to poke his muzzle into Rosethorn and Thorntail's now-crumbled relationship - besides the fact that he has to mate with all the WindClan she-cats. **

**Pearl.H.Sweden - I won't comment on most of that because I don't want to give anything away...but um...Applefur's kits are only about two or three moons old. Time moves slow in this story. **

**lmblovesmilk - -huggles- THANK YOU! **

**Anyways, I think most of you misunderstood what I said in one of my previous author notes: I think I foreshadowed Ebonypaw's pregnancy a lot too, but I don't think I foreshadowed her becoming a warrior AT ALL. So...yeah. I still feel bad about that. And most of this chapter... I introduce Cinnamonfur, but seriously, if you don't care about him yet...that's fine. We get to know Rinoa a TAD BIT better, but...yeah. Either way, the next chapter I write takes place in the Gathering, where things HAPPEN! And then some more stuff happen! And eventually, this story will END! WOOT! **

**Now, enjoy. And yes, when I change POV's I use 'Thorn...gray' now, because for some reason, the normal three periods weren't showing up on fanfiction...so...yeah. **

* * *

The gray tom's pelt shimmered with the golden rays of the sun as he sat hunched over the riverbank, with a single paw lifted into the air as his sapphire eyes captured the silvery fish within the water. 

Careful to stand in such a way so that his reflection would not enter the watery depths and scare both the fish and the hunter, Thorntail prepared himself to scoop his prey out of the river.

He squeaked, as he felt something nudge him from behind along with a, "Hi, Thorntail!" Surprised, he stumbled forward a few pawsteps and was just able to keep his balance enough to keep from stumbling into the river…but not enough to keep the fish from swimming off.

Annoyed, he pivoted to see the creature that had frightened his prey, and found himself looking into the leaf-green gaze of his new friend, Tawnyleaf. The golden-brown she-cat was calmly licking one of her forepaws, her whiskers twitching with amusement. "Did I scare the fish away?" she asked with undeniable excitement.

"Yes, you did scare the fish away with your hideous face." Thorntail meowed playfully. A physical desire wafted through every hair on his pelt, and he heard some mating-crazed creature in his mind yowling at him to mount Tawnyleaf right then and there. He almost followed through with the instinct, but…

His blue eyes met Tawnyleaf's green.

Those green eyes of hers… They reminded him so much of someone, but he still couldn't put his whisker on it. The fact that Tawnyleaf reminded him of someone, but he had no clue who, kept killing his erotic mood every time he looked at her.

That was his story, and he was sticking to it.

He looked away deliberately, telling himself over and over that he didn't want Tawnyleaf just for the fact that he didn't recognize her. It wasn't because her eyes were emerald and not sapphire, and that her pelt was golden and not scarlet. It was because she made him apprehensive… That's all.

Thorntail glanced at the river curiously, thinking that he had seen the fish come back. To his disappointment, all of the slippery prey had swum downstream and all that was in the rippling water were the reflections of the golden-brown RiverClan she-cat and…a gray tomcat.

The mating-crazed creature from earlier was now just pure common sense, and was screeching at him to stop looking at the water…and at the broad shouldered stone-gray tomcat in the river.

Thorntail stared at his reflection for a few heartbeats, his heart starting to thud fast in his chest. That gray cat…looked so much…like him…so much like…Graywhisker.

"Why don't you attack the river?" He felt Tawnyleaf nudge his side. "I only came down here 'cause I heard that when you see your reflection you go insane… I wanted to see you get into a fight with the river."

Thorntail felt a shiver crawl down his spine, as he saw the gray cat in the flowing water flick one of its forepaws twice, before it began to rub it against its ear. Thorntail glanced at his paws, wondering if he was cleaning his ear without knowing it…when he saw that…no, all four of his paws were on the earth beneath them. He wasn't cleaning his ear…so why was his reflection doing something that _he_ wasn't?

He shook his head violently, and to his relief, the Thorntail underneath the rippling liquid mirrored his action.

Thorntail looked up from staring at the gray cat in the water, and stared up at the sapphire sky that was as bright as ever with the warm light of sun-high. He ignored what Tawnyleaf was ranting about for a few heartbeats, and instead found that he couldn't rip his eyes from the sky above him. Blue…sapphire blue…

He lowered himself down to the earth, his belly scratching against it. The sky…was the same shade of blue as his eyes…. The same shade of blue as Shadenight's eyes. Those beautiful, flirtatious, seductive eyes that had belonged to Graywhisker's mate. It had been those eyes, those gorgeous eyes that had tempted Thorntail to snatch his brother's mate… Steal the she-cat that Graywhisker had given his heart to… The cat that Thorntail had wanted to mate with, but who Graywhisker had loved.

Thorntail felt his limbs go numb, as he identified the blue, blue sky no longer as Shadenight's aqua pools…but as his brother's. All too easily he could remember staring into the icily calm crystal blue pools of his brother's eyes, before his best friend, mirror image, and littermate had thrust himself under a monster's speeding paws.

He felt his pelt prickle with unease, and he had the strangest feeling that the sky didn't just look like Graywhisker's eyes…but w_ere_ Graywhisker's eyes. Staring down at him from above. Watching him. Judging him. Loving him. Hating him…

If he could have, he would've dug himself a hole deep into the earth to get as far away as possible from the eyes of his brother…

He blinked, and now, for some reason, the sky's blue color were the eyes of…Rosethorn?

Before he could contemplate the meaning of that much more, a tawny head blocked his view of the sky. "Thorntail," Tawnyleaf asked curiously, "are you having a 'crazy' moment?"

"Yup." Thorntail slowly rose to his paws, and shook himself gently. He sat down onto his haunches, as he meowed, "I was just thinking of Graywhisker…"

"Graywhisker was your… brother, right?" Tawnyleaf asked, carelessly using one of her forepaws to splash water about. She twisted her neck, and met Thorntail's eyes. "I never met him…I left the Clan a little before…or a little after you two were born in ShadowClan. And by the time I came back, he was already dead…"

Thorntail lowered his head, and looked at his giant gray paws. He could remember pounding them against the earth as he ran into ThunderClan territory through the half-melted snow, looking for his brother… and only to find him by the Thunderpath just moments before he…

"But…" Tawnyleaf went on, kinking her long tail in thought, "I had also heard that the only reason you had left RiverClan in the first place was because the memories of your brother were driving you insane," she trotted towards him, her eyes narrowed into slits. Thorntail thought he saw a glimmer of disappointment shining in her eyes, but he couldn't be sure, as she continued, "Besides that little incident that I just witnessed – which wasn't interesting at all. Next time you go crazy; make it more fun to watch…What was I saying? Oh, yeah. Besides that little incident that I just saw, you've been pretty calm. Why is that?"

Thorntail blinked in surprise, as Tawnyleaf pressed herself against him, their pelts of golden and gray mingling as one for a few heartbeats. The former RiverClan medicine cat gently intertwined their tails, and Thorntail's eyes rounded as he remembered another cat that had done the same thing to him before. Except then, it hadn't been an expression of love, but at an attempted friendship – Thorntail _hoped_.

Thorntail caught Tawnyleaf's eyes once more…leaf-green eyes. He could remember a cat with emotionless leaf-green eyes…

He blinked, as he used his tail to feel around Tawnyleaf's back, legs, and shoulders. Her frame, her thin frame…

If Tawnyleaf's fur was silver, and not golden like a lion's pelt, then she would look like…look just like...

"Are you okay?" Tawnyleaf's voice made Thorntail lose the path of thought he had been treading on. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"What question?"

"Why are you acting _so sane_?!" Tawnyleaf growled in (hopefully) mock-disappointment giving him a fake cuff on the ear.

Thorntail backed away from Tawnyleaf in fear that the next cuff wouldn't be so fake, and thought for a few heartbeats. It was true. Compared to when he had left RiverClan a few moons ago – even with the feeling that Graywhisker was looking at him from the sky and water – he was a lot calmer. Why was that?

Thorntail felt a pang, as he realized that it had been Rosethorn who had helped him come to terms with his guilt over Graywhisker's death...

"There was a she-cat in ThunderClan..." Thorntail meowed carefully.

Tawnyleaf's eyes clouded with understanding, and Thorntail was surprised at how much she was able to inference from his few words. "A she-cat in ThunderClan..." Tawnyleaf mewed thoughtfully. "You're in RiverClan now, away from her...what happened to her?"

Rosethorn, with her sapphire eyes wide and terror-stricken, as she and her "mate" lie on a blood-stained pile of moss, batting her scarlet paws vainly at the fire-pelted tomcat on top of her... Forcing her to...to...

"Too much." He answered.

Tawnyleaf's eyes were glowing with confusion, but she didn't pry anymore – something that Thorntail had thought for sure that she would do. Instead, she meowed, "You aren't the cheerful Thorntail that joined RiverClan earlier. Where did he go? Did he die?" Before Thorntail could answer, she shook her head and jerked her tail about in a silent order for him to shut up. "Or is this the real Thorntail. A boring, depressing, _annoying _Thorntail...Hrm. Well, whichever Thorntail is the real one, I have this to ask you..." she narrowed her eyes into slits. "Want to raid Blueherb's den for catnip and poppy seeds so we can get loopy?"

_Thorn...Gray_

The little black scrap of fur's emerald eyes darkened, and she seemed to go limp, but even so, her words were calm and clear as she meowed, "No, this is when I tell you I'm pregnant."

Rosethorn held Ebonypaw's green gaze with her own blue for a few heartbeats, shock rushing through her body as quickly as lightning flashed within the sky. Ebonypaw…was pregnant?

"Pr-pregnant?" she echoed. "With...with kits?"

"No, with dandelions." Ebonypaw meowed sarcastically. "_Yes, kits_!"

Rosethorn wanted to gasp, but she couldn't find the breath to do so. Ebonypaw, her apprentice, one of her closest friends, was...going to have kits?_ Forbidden _kits? Ebonypaw was a medicine cat, she wasn't supposed to...

_Medicine cat... _

Flamesoul's image flashed in Rosethorn's mind, and she felt the skin beneath her fur crawl as her blood ran cold. Flamesoul...he had forced himself onto her...so... Had he done the same to Ebonypaw to make her...well, filled with young lives?

"Ebonypaw who is the father?" Rosethorn had to rip every word out of her throat. "Is it...is...is it Flamesoul?"

Ebonypaw cocked her head to one side for a moment. "Flamesoul?" she echoed. There was no denying the surprise in her voice. "Great StarClan, Rosethorn, where did you get _that_ idea? He's like, as old as the great oaks in FourTrees."

Rosethorn let out a sigh of relief. Flamesoul hadn't gotten to Ebonypaw... He hadn't forced himself on the little black tuft of fur that was standing a tail-length... But that meant that Ebonypaw had willingly padded into the embrace of another tom...

Fury erupted within Rosethorn's body. Ebonypaw had taken a mate of her own free will! Ebonypaw was just like the ones back at camp... Ebonypaw had taken a mate, and had enjoyed the pain it had brought her by...by...by...

"Then who_ is_ the father?" Rosethorn repeated.

Ebonypaw held her sapphire gaze for a few heartbeats, before she looked down at her paws. "Marshclaw of ShadowClan." Though she wouldn't meet Rosethorn's eyes, her voice was loud and clear, as if she had nothing to be ashamed of.

"Marshclaw..." Rosethorn confirmed. That was the same ShadowClan tomcat that Ebonypaw had had a crush on when she was still just beginning her journey as a medicine cat. Rosethorn had never spoken with Marshclaw, but from the fact that he had made _her _apprentice from a different Clan pregnant with "dandelions"...it gave Rosethorn enough information to dislike the warrior.

Rosethorn glared down at her now-quivering apprentice. Ebonypaw had accepted a mate outside the warrior code! From a different Clan! And not WindClan or RiverClan which had more or less been keeping to their own in the past moons...but ShadowClan. The Clan that had _just _attacked ThunderClan!

Of course, she couldn't say it was that much of a surprise. There had been so many hints that she had chosen to ignore... Ebonypaw coming into the den reeking of fox-dung and claiming to have gone out in the middle of the night to replenish the fully-stocked amount of poppy seeds, as well as Ebonypaw's not going into heat – they had been the strongest clues. Why hadn't she, as Ebonypaw's mentor, _done anything_? Why hadn't she taken Ebonypaw to the side, and cuffed her on the ear for even thinking about padding over to see Marshclaw – a cat who Rosethorn had_ known_ Ebonypaw had a crush on!

Rosethorn knew why she hadn't done anything. She hadn't wanted to believe that innocent, pure little Ebonypaw would _ever _take a mate, much less one from an enemy Clan.

Rosethorn flexed her claws, and imagined digging them into Marshclaw's fur. The thought gave her an illusion of strength surging through her. She could just taste Marshclaw's sticky blood as she licked them from her claws... Warm blood. Tasty blood. The blood of a piece of fox-dung that had taken an apprentice from another Clan as a mate...

Ebonypaw's quiet voice interrupted Rosethorn's slightly-murderous plans, "I love Marshclaw." It was almost as if she had sensed that Rosethorn had been thinking bitter thoughts.

Rosethorn stared in awe at Ebonypaw for a few heartbeats. Ebonypaw had loved Marshclaw? She had loved a tom that had taken her as her mate? A tom that had hurt her, hurt her, hurt her...

She shook herself. That was _why _cats mated! Because they_ loved_ each other! It wasn't just pure lust like it had been with Flamesoul...

Marshclaw and Ebonypaw were in love.

Rosethorn looked down at her paws, suddenly feeling as if she was the medicine cat apprentice who had taken a mate and was the one admitting it to her mentor. Ebonypaw and Marshclaw had taken one another as mates in the midst of love-filled air and kind words. Ebonypaw had given up her purity for love.

That was far more than Rosethorn could say. Flamesoul had taken her in lust, and she had only felt hatred for him the whole time he was...he was... forcing himself on her. Mating was supposed to happen between two cats in love. Rosethorn hadn't followed that rule. _That _was why she was dirty.

Rosethorn reminded herself that her medicine cat apprentice had taken a mate in another Clan, so she regained some of her composure, and opened her mouth to scold Ebonypaw. To screech, yowl, punish... but she decided against it. It would be pointless to do so now. Ebonypaw was still going to have kits...and Ebonypaw still wouldn't be her apprentice.

"So...um...do I have your permission to train as a warrior?" Ebonypaw asked quietly.

Rosethorn didn't answer right away. Instead, she asked, "Do Flamesoul and Streamstar know that you're...you're..." she trailed off, letting Ebonypaw fill in the blank.

"Pregnant?" Ebonypaw finished for her. "Streamstar doesn't, and I don't think Flamesoul does...are you going to tell him?"

"No." Rosethorn shook her head, and looked at Ebonypaw curiously for a moment. She was giving up so much for her kits...and was going to become a warrior. Rosethorn wasn't about to ask Ebonypaw to give up her kits – if Ebonypaw was changing her path of destiny, then the she-cat really wanted her and Marshclaw's offspring.

"You'll make a good warrior, Ebonypaw."

_Thorn...Gray_

"Gathering tonight!"

Thorntail looked up from the fish her had been munching on just in time to see a small dusky-brown tomcat trotting towards him. Thorntail nodded at Cinnamonfur – the young warrior from the other day who had asked him some rude-question about ThunderClan she-cats that Thorntail himself hadn't had the luck to hear.

Cinnamonfur settled himself down beside him, and dropped the mouse had had been carrying in his jaws. Thorntail stared at him in awe, wondering how the tiny warrior had managed to say 'Gathering tonight' earlier when he had had a mouth full of fur.

"I'm really excited for it. This is going to be my first gathering as a warrior!" Cinnamonfur took a small bite from his mouse.

Thorntail shifted uncomfortably. "Don't you have any friends to eat with?" he asked. He eyed Cinnamonfur's seat carefully. "And I was saving that space for Tawnyleaf..."

Cinnamonfur didn't seem to hear. "Twilightfur and Morningpaw of ThunderClan are going to be there, and Ravenfeather of ShadowClan...Thorntail, have you ever seen the ShadowClan deputy in the correct moonlight? Her black fur seems to capture the silver light and refuses to let it go... Gorgeous. Then there's that _gray_ she-cat with the weird name _White_sky, she's pretty too... and the WindClan deputy, Mapleleaf. She has this regal quality to her – and her Clanmate Rabbitfur isn't too bad looking either. And then Streamstar and Timidstar will stand up on the Great Rock and strut for their Clans... I can't wait!"

Thorntail felt his – _tail_ - curl up with excitement. All the cats Cinnamonfur had named were very impressive. Apparently his Clanmate had interest in the same she-cats he did. He almost commented on Cinnamonfur's fascination with the females of the other Clans, but he decided against it.

"Something wrong with RiverClan she-cats, Cinnamonfur?" Apparently another cat found the young warrior's fascination disturbing, and Thorntail looked up to see who was the cat who was showing open scorn towards Cinnamonfur.

His fur prickled with joy, as he saw a petite cloud-furred she-cat trotting towards them, her _sapphire_ eyes glittering. Thorntail looked at Icefire in awe – what was it about sapphire eyes that made him so...excited?

Icefire settled herself down beside Thorntail, her white pelt mingling with his gray, as she delicately took a bite from the fish she had been carrying. Again Thorntail was in awe – how were all these cats talking with fresh-kill in their mouths?!

Cinnamonfur didn't answer Icefire's question, instead he asked, "Thorntail, weren't you saving that spot for Tawnyleaf?"

"Tawny-who now?" Thorntail murmured. Tawnyleaf was pretty, but...she was still busy stealing all of Blueherb's catnip and poppy seeds – according to her, if you had enough of either, you would 'see the grass as purple and feel like your head was in the clouds'.

But Icefire was with him _now_. And that fact alone was all that mattered. Even if he and Icefire had yet to even share greetings since he had joined the Clan...

Thorntail could feel Cinnamonfur's eyes scorching into his fur, as Icefire asked if they could share her fish with him. Apparently she didn't think that the fact that they hadn't spoken mattered either.

"Icefire," Cinnamonfur blustered out, clearly trying to regain his footing after the she-cat's earlier comment, "I think RiverClan cats are the most impressive of all...I mean, look at cats like Shadenight, and Tawnyleaf... and um...Lightsnow." Thorntail looked away from Icefire, and stared blankly at Cinnamonfur as the young RiverClan warrior mentioned his _mother_.

"I heard Lightsnow had a pelt as blue as the sky and as warm as a flame... and eyes as white as snow – but not a creepy white, that pretty soft white...sort of like Drizzlestep's eyes... Oh, if she was still alive and had never left ShadowClan I would take her as my ma-..."

"What would you take my mother as, Cinnamonfur?" Thorntail asked lowering his voice to a growl.

Icefire dug her face into his side and let out a rumbling purr, while Thorntail waited for Cinnamonfur's reply.

Cinnamonfur shifted uncomfortably, but didn't have a reply. Instead, he just went on with eating his mouse in silence.

"Thorntail!"

Thorntail looked away from Cinnamonfur to see Tawnyleaf bounding towards him, her golden pelt as sleek as ever.

She stumbled to a halt in front of him, and just stood panting for a few moments before she was able to spit out, "I...hid...the...pop-poppy seeds...and the cat...catnip in...in...in Fishclaw's nest...in...in...in the warrior's den. We can use them later – hopefully when Blueherb forgets about the mysterious disappearance of her herbs...hrm."

Cinnamonfur finally spoke up, "Tawnyleaf, are you going to the Gathering?"

Tawnyleaf glanced at him through narrowed eyes before she shook her head. "No, I wasn't chosen."

"Neither was I," Icefire fretted. "I have to stay behind and guard the camp."

"Truth be told, I'm not even sure if Duststar even knows that I'm in the Clan yet." Thorntail mused. "I'm still avoiding him at all costs..."

"Well, _I'm_ going," Cinnamonfur announced. "And I'm pretty sure Rinoa will be too, since she became a warrior at the same time as I..."

"Right, and how did that work?" Thorntail meowed thoughtfully. "I mean, she only has one name. Wasn't she 'Rinoa' when she joined the Clan? She didn't earn a new name, she's still Rinoa..."

"It was an...awkward ceremony." Tawnyleaf admitted. "Where is Rinoa, anyways? I wanted to ask her if she'd be willing for me to hide the 'loopy' stuff in _her_ nest..." Without waiting for an answer, Tawnyleaf rose to her paws and trotted away to find her 'daughter'.

"Rinoa is pretty too." Cinnamonfur meowed thoughtfully, and Thorntail was suddenly reminded of the black she-cat with the white chest and paws he had seen earlier. He hadn't spoken to her, but he still believed that what Cinnamonfur had said was an understatement. Rinoa was _beautiful_.

"C-can cats not born in a Clan be pretty?" Icefire asked, while snaking her tail around Thorntail's.

Thorntail liked RiverClan.

"I think they can. Look at Rinoa." Cinnamonfur pointed out, while flicking his tail towards the nursery, where Thorntail could see the pretty she-cat playing with some of the kits.

"Okay, Melodykit, you can be Riverstar – he was the first leader of RiverClan. I'll be Shadowstar, the founder of ShadowClan. Now, Shadowstar was recently told by her medicine cat that she has a terrible disease that will take her last life away in a single moon... That means that in this final battle with Riverstar, she has nothing to lose and..." Rinoa's green and blue eyes were sparkling as she stared down at Shadenight's daughter – who just looked confused. "You know nothing, Melodykit. You bore me. Go away."

"For a loner, she certainly knows the history of the Clans well," Icefire remarked.

Cinnamonfur's whiskers twitched. "She isn't a loner anymore, she's a RiverClan warrior. A very _pretty_ RiverClan _warrior_ – which makes her fair prey." Cinnamonfur kinked his tail and beckoned for Rinoa to come towards him. The she-cat glanced at him, and hesitated for a few heartbeats before she finally excused herself from her game with Melodykit, and trotted towards them.

"Are you going to the Gathering, Rinoa?" Cinnamonfur asked. "I am... we could go around and talk to cats um...together...if you like."

Rinoa stared blankly at him for a few heartbeats, before she meowed, "Cinnamonfur, at night I sometimes dream that I kill you. Usually I rip out your entrails in front of a large mass of cats – and in my dream there is always a full moon in the background...and four great oaks...I'm still not sure what that dream could mean..." Rinoa's voice was light hearted and cheerful, and Thorntail had to fight to keep himself from purring.

"Most cats would just say 'No, thank you.'" Cinnamonfur mumbled, before he seemed to decide that he didn't want to be where he was, and he padded over to Owlpelt who had several cats gathered around him and was still bragging about his daughter.

Thorntail glanced around his new Clan curiously. It was just like ThunderClan – if ThunderClan was always 'loopy' on poppy seeds and catnip...and if ThunderClan didn't always have this dark feeling that a disaster would come at any moment. In RiverClan there was none of that. It might've been just because their Clan was strong, but Thorntail wasn't sure. Either way, he seemed to fit in with these cats better. With the she-cats like Icefire who started to groom his pelt and share prey with him when he hadn't said two words to them in seasons, tomcats like Cinnamonfur who had nothing but mating on the brain – but didn't seem very successful -, Owlpelt constantly bragging about his young daughter, the morbid Rinoa, and Tawnyleaf, who he had so much in common with.

"In answer to your question, no, I'm not going to the Gathering!" Rinoa called after the retreating Cinnamonfur.

"You aren't?" Icefire mewed. "Why not? Usually new warriors always go."

"My mother – I mean Tawnyleaf ... I mean..._nobody _told me to sneak this dead crowfood that they – I mean_ I_ – found into the fresh-kill pile...and when Listeningecho went to pick something out, she got the prickles in her nose..."

"I hate it when nobody tells me to do things. I always feel like I have to do what they told me to do." Thorntail meowed. He narrowed his eyes at Rinoa. Something wasn't right – besides her terrible skills at lying for her mother.

He shrugged. Bad things always happened when he tried to figure out the dark secrets of his Clan. Like finding out that Smokestar wasn't his father – Graywhisker died. Then, he helped uncover Spottedstar's treachery in ThunderClan – nobody died, but Streamstar was still alive. That let her go about her business, and eventually let Flamesoul back into the Clan. Which led to the other secret he discovered. Rosethorn had a nightmarish apprenticeship.. and _that _eventually led to his leaving ThunderClan and her...

He shook his head, and tried to fight the dream he had earlier... Rosethorn writhing under Flamesoul, crying out for help that wouldn't arrive...

She wasn't his mate! Why did he care?!

But he did care. She wasn't his mate anymore...but that didn't mean that he wanted Rosethorn to have to suffer like that... He had to make sure Rosethorn was okay. Then he could go on with his life in RiverClan, and stop worrying about the medicine cat of ThunderClan.

"Hey, Rinoa, Icefire... oh, hey, Tawnyleaf." He nodded as his friend padded towards them. "Do you want to go to the Gathering?"

"We weren't chosen!" Icefire burst out. "What would we do, wait for everyone to leave camp, and then follow them?"

"That's a brilliant idea, Icefire!" Thorntail purred, digging his muzzle into Icefire's side.

"That would only leave Drizzlestep, Shadenight, and Rainpaw to guard the kits and elders staying behind..." Tawnyleaf meowed thoughtfully. "If there was an attack, they'd be slaughtered." Her eyes glittered. "That's good. Shadenight's annoying, Drizzlestep's a know-it-all, the kits all have the common sense of a kit..."

"I wonder why that is." Thorntail mused.

Tawnyleaf didn't seem to hear him. "...and Rainpaw has a generic name. I say we go to the Gathering."

"And since there will be no warriors to guard the camp, it'll leave RiverClan wide open for the attack from ThunderClan I organized!" Thorntail purred.

"What?" the question came from all three of the she-cats.

"Nothing...heh heh heh..._ Anyways_, it'll be fun." Thorntail glanced at Icefire, Rinoa, and Tawnyleaf in turn, half-hoping that they would join him, but not really caring if they didn't.

"Duststar didn't tell me to go..." Icefire murmured.

"And if Duststar didn't tell you to breath, I bet you wouldn't do that either." Thorntail growled.

Icefire narrowed her eyes. "You're right, I wouldn't. That's what loyalty is all about."

"That's not loyalty, that's stupidity." Thorntail retorted. "So, do you three want to sneak into the Gathering, or not?"

The three she-cats exchanged a glance, before they finally nodded.

* * *

**See, badly written, huh? Well, I was in a hurry. You know how many Thunderstorms we've been getting in my state? A lot. Power outages...I got on, and I had to type my bum off so I could get it up. Which meant that...not much time for making it...like, written well. I hope you can forgive me. -bows head- **

**Review and you get a...um...Cinnamonfur...plushie? I DON'T KNOW! **

**Oh, by the way, I posted a small intro to the rewrite of Every Rose Has Its Thorns. YAY! I'm going to change a few things...but nothing that will effect this story at all, so if you don't want to read the rewrite, you really don't have to. But you might WANT to...because...because...it would make me happy? **


	25. Chapter 24

**I pumped this one out fast. If you haven't reviewed the chapter previous this one, you should do that too... I kind of like my twenty-reviews-per-chapter-average. I'm sorry... -looks down at paws in shame- I like reviews too much... **

**I felt guilty about the poor quality of the chapter before this, so I'm putting this one up... It isn't written THAT well, but I think it's a little better. I had a_ lot_ of fun writing it! -nods- But...no, I don't expect you to care about Gingerpaw as you see what happens to her in this chapter. I just had to make that scene to give the information... **

**xX-Secrets-Xs - I'm embarassed that you read that last chapter. -shifts uncomfortably- I'm sad now... But anyways, I did miss your reviews! I'm glad you're back! Oh, and yes, I have a name for Ebonypaw's kit(s?) **

**Silversnow of EveClan - RUSHED! That's the word. You're right. It took me so long to get the last chapter out because I didn't WANT to write the Ebonypaw and Rosethorn scene...so I guess I rushed through it. -pouts- But I'm glad you still liked it! **

**Greenpool-Gylfie's Loyalty - Being on at midnight is ALWAYS a good thing. -nods- **

**Watersoul - Impatience is good! lol. No, it's bad. But I think you'll like this chapter...**

**Flamepelt's Wrath- I was rushed. Thunderstorms...blah, blah blah. Seriously, the power might've gone out, and I wanted to get the chapter up as fast as I could...so I just put it up with the review replies I already had. -huggles- I love long reviews! **

**Steeltalon - Yes, check out the rewrite that has NO rewritten chapters in it. :-) xD I haven't been working on it. I've been putting it off... -shifty eyes- **

**lmblovesmilk - -huggles back. again- You better head to WindClan with that torch... **

**Swanfeather - Thorntail has a crush on Tawnyleaf, yes. But if you read into it, he also has/had a crush on Timidstar, Streamstar, and a bunch of other cats. Randomly I'd describe him looking at a she-cat and his thoughts on her beauty, but...nobody really pays attention to them because it's a fanfic, for one thing, and at the time Thorntail and Rosethorn were still a 'couple'. **

**Squirrelflightlover- You're starting to become an average reviewer, aren't you? YAY! -gives welcoming gift basket- Anyways, every single one of those questions will soon be answered...soon...**

**Daklotles85- Actually, I was worried you'd hate me because of how I yelled at you. MEEP! All well. I'm just glad all is well now... **

**Strangefur- You didn't review yet, but when you do, you'll get this reply. Oh, and...if you like...you could leave two reviews - one for each chapter, just to make me happy! **

**In fact, everyone can do what I told Strangefur... **

**Anyways, more of my rant about the chapter...it's a Gathering. I think I rushed the ending a bit...And I hope you all understand the conflict in WindClan that Ravenfeather describes. I'm not confident about that...but...meh. Anyways, this chapter gives lots of info, and I think the next few chapters until the end will be nice, easy, and exciting. YAY! Oh, and I also made a shameless nod to one of my favorite authors, V.C Andrews in this chapter by sneaking in something special. Probably nobody will figure it out, but I thought I should give Andrews credit where it is due. -nods- Anyways, **

**Enjoy,**

* * *

The distant silver moon slowly rose high into the sky, shedding its warm silver light on the otherwise-darkness-covered hollow beneath it, igniting FourTrees as a flame as white as snow. 

Rosethorn stared up at the full moon, the shimmering orb being reflected in her own azure eyes. The ThunderClan medicine cat felt the scents of air and water rise up from the hollow of FourTrees, and she knew instantly that WindClan and RiverClan had already arrived for the Gathering. Her ears twitched as she heard the soft murmur of the other two rival Clans rumbling about like a slow-moving monster on the Thunderpath.

The scarlet-pelted she-cat's gaze strayed away from the moon above her, and she glanced curiously at her Clanmates of ThunderClan, who were standing right beside her, waiting, just as she was, for their leader to give them the signal to enter FourTrees and join the Gathering. Badgerclaw and Twilightfur were arguing in soft tones about some matter or another that had to do with leaves and their being tawny-colored, but other then that, the whole of ThunderClan was silent as they awaited for Streamstar's order.

Gingerpaw, now the only warrior apprentice of the Clan – unless one counted Ebonypaw - was shuffling her paws excitedly in the earth, sending clouds of dust wafting into the air. But that did little harm – the dust blew off to settle into some other area almost instantly. Though, Rosethorn saw Shrewtail, Gingerpaw's mentor, give his apprentice a stern glance for making such a mess.

Rosethorn knew that her Clan was starting to get restless for Streamstar's order – but the white leader was calmly discussing some matter with her deputy, Sandpelt. Rosethorn glanced around some more, feeling somewhat lonely as her entire Clan all seemed to have found another partner to talk about their impatience for the Gathering – except her. Applefur hadn't been chosen to come, and Blackshadow, along with his former apprentice Morninglight, seemed to be more interested in the sun-colored monarch butterfly that was fluttering around their muzzles. And Ebonypaw, having fallen from grace in her change of class, had also been left behind. Rosethorn's only joy at being at the Gathering was that Flamesoul had stayed behind as well, to take care of Icepelt who still needed looking after.

Rosethorn shook herself. Why did that make her happy? She wasn't an apprentice anymore, and in more ways then one, Flamesoul seemed to have redeemed his past actions of when he was her mentor by saving both Baykit and Icepelt's lives...

She dug her claws into the earth, and tried to fight all the recollections of when she had carried the name 'Rosepaw'. But as hard as she rebelled, she couldn't help but seeing the ferns that were blowing in the breeze a few tail-lengths away parting to reveal huge flame-colored paws that belonged to an even larger tomcat with cruel, cruel emerald eyes that burned into her own as...

Finally, Streamstar lifted her ivory-colored tail into the air, and kinked it in the silent order for her Clan to enter the hollow.

Rosethorn slowly worked her paws on the edge of FourTrees, picking her way down to the center of the hollow. Almost instantly, the cats of ThunderClan dispersed to meet their friends, acquaintances, and yes, even enemies, from the rival Clans.

Rosethorn herself didn't go to any particular group – though she did see Blueherb, RiverClan's medicine cat, beckon for her. Truth be told, Rosethorn had almost padded over to greet the cat that had been her true mentor, and had taught her more than any cat.

But as Rosethorn began to near the sky-colored she-cat, she caught sight of the moon. It seemed even large that night, much larger than normal. It seemed to be feeding off of the light of all the other stars of Silverpelt, and igniting the same light from itself...but by tenfold.

To Rosethorn, that shining orb above her head seemed to be like an eye. The eye of StarClan, glaring down at her.

Then she focused her gaze in such a way, and saw as well as the moon all the stars of Silverpelt. More eyes...more eyes. She could almost hear them yowling at her: _Impure! Impure! You aren't worthy to be in _our_ Blueherb's presence! _

For yes, Blueherb was StarClan's. She was pure in every way, and had not taken a mate – and never would. Though, some cats used a metaphor in saying that medicine cats _did_ have a mate. And their mate was StarClan. A disgusting subject if one thought about it too deeply, but if one just brushed the surface, the concept was beautiful.

But Rosethorn couldn't say the same. If one went by the same "beautiful" concept, she was _Flamesoul's_. And she was impure in every way – she had a mate in Flamesoul, as twisted as it was, and she had been, and still was, in love with Thorntail.

Rosethorn felt her eyes round in horror as she felt a tail tip lay on her shoulder. She leapt into the air, just holding in a yowl of terror...when her blue eyes met Blackshadow's amber.

"Are you okay, Rosethorn?" her friend asked, cocking his head to one side. "You were staring at the sky for an awful long time..."

"I'm...I'm fine." Rosethorn mewed briskly. "I was just going to meet Blue..." she turned to where the RiverClan medicine cat had been seated, but she was already gone. "I was just going to meet... nobody..."

"That's always fun, I guess." Blackshadow meowed thoughtfully. "Well...um... I should probably go now. I have to dig for information..."

"Information? On what? Why?"

Blackshadow shifted uncomfortably, and seemed to glance around as if looking for a way out, before he meowed, "Applefur sent me to hunt for some facts on... Great StarClan, what are you doing here?!" The ebony-furred ThunderClan warrior was staring at something over her shoulder, so she tossed a glance behind her.

At first, she couldn't see what had Blackshadow so surprised. She saw a golden-brown she-cat with RiverClan scent speaking to Rabbitfur of WindClan, Twilightfur and Gingerpaw arguing over some sisterly matter, and some newly-arrived ShadowClan cats – namely Ravenfeather and Foxheart – calmly speaking to the RiverClan deputy about the tastiest bit of prey. Those were all normal Gathering events, so what was Blackshadow so worried about?

Then Rosethorn saw it. No, it wasn't an it. _Him_. Standing right beside the golden-brown RiverClan she-cat. She recognized his broad shoulders, stone-gray fur, and piercing sapphire eyes in an instant.

Thorntail.

For the moment, the RiverClan warrior seemed focused on whatever conversation he and his gold companion were having with Rabbitfur, and hadn't noticed Rosethorn. Rosethorn couldn't help but wonder why – her heart was beating so loud that surely every cat in the hollow would be able to hear it and pinpoint who it belonged to...

She looked at him in awe, her pelt prickling, and she momentarily forgot all of her misgivings about her purity earlier, and his leaving her at the mercy of Flamesoul. She just felt a warm feeling of pleasant surprise, and a tingling in her paws to go over and greet him. He had just rejoined RiverClan's ranks the other day...why was he already coming to Gatherings?

Suddenly, his ears pricked, and Rosethorn guessed that he had heard Blackshadow's cry, because he slowly began to pick his way towards them. Rosethorn stared hopefully at him against all of her common sense. Had he come to fix the gap that had come between them? Had he come to speak to her? Had he come to...

Her hopes were dashed, and quickly morphed into shock and horror, as she noticed that the golden RiverClan cat was following him.

Applefur's words from earlier rang in her mind. _He will pad after some RiverClan she-cat, and _she_ will take the place in his heart that should belong to you! _She_ will be the cat he fights for! _She_ will be the cat he loves! Not you! _

Rosethorn stared at Thorntail's new mate, and tried hard to fight the envy that clung to her fur like moss on a tree. Thorntail had gotten himself a new mate...and a prettier one too! His mate had slim shoulders, and fur that was the color of a LionClan warrior's pelt. She had the most gorgeous leaf-green eyes that Rosethorn had ever seen in her life, and she seemed to press each of her paws down on the earth ever so neatly and majestically as she walked that she almost seemed to float.

"Hiya, Blackshadow!" Thorntail's rumbling voice knocked Rosethorn from her thoughts. She looked up at him, hoping that he would acknowledge her, but his focus was clearly all on his old friend.

"Hello, Thorntail..." Blackshadow murmured, touching Thorntail's shoulder with his tail tip. "Duststar invited you to the Gathering..._already_?"

"Oh, yeah, he did." Thorntail nodded vigorously, before his gaze darkened. "Just... don't tell him I'm here..."

At this, his she-companion purred with amusement, and Rosethorn stared at her helplessly. She disliked the tawny-colored she-cat already, but even so, she knew it was better for Thorntail to be with her instead of an impure medicine cat...

"By the way," Thorntail mused lightly tapping the earth with his tail, "according to Rabbitfur of WindClan, Streamstar is dead. When did this happen?"

Rosethorn stared at Thorntail in confusion. What did he mean by that? Then she remembered. Ebonypaw had conjured up that lie when they had gone to meet Silverleaf in WindClan. That seemed so long ago now... so long ago. That had happened a day after the last Gathering... That seemed like seasons ago now. At the last Gathering, Thorntail had comforted her of her fear of the silver effeminate tomcat, and they had gathered around some of their acquaintances in other Clans and had joked around, and purred, and purred, and purred...

Yes, that was long ago.

"She didn't die..." Blackshadow meowed. "I don't know what's wrong with Rabbitfur, but Streamstar is alive and well." The ThunderClan warrior shook himself, as if he had to rip himself from the very thought of his leader resting in StarClan. "So...how are things in RiverClan?"

"Oh, fine and dandy!" Thorntail purred, curling his tail with delight. "I've rekindled all of my old friendships – except for the ones that I didn't - and made some new ones. Blackshadow, this is my friend Tawnyleaf." He nodded at the she-cat that had been padding alongside him.

Rosethorn wondered why the gold cat wasn't speaking, until she noticed that "Tawnyleaf" as Thorntail had called her, was enthralled in a conversation between Runningwhisker of WindClan and wasn't giving Thorntail any attention besides the fact that she just happened to be sitting right next to him. Rosethorn looked down at her paws – she had been so busy eyeing Thorntail she hadn't noticed the WindClan cat come up.

As ashamed as she was, Rosethorn couldn't help but feel a guilty sense of relief. Thorntail had introduced Tawnyleaf as his _friend_, not his mate. Though...Thorntail very rarely referred to a cat as his mate when he played around with them for just one night...

Rosethorn tried to pretend that she wasn't being hurt, as Thorntail didn't even spare her a single glance as he spoke to Blackshadow about what he had missed in the past...two days.

"So, Blackshadow, are your kits apprentices yet?" Thorntail's voice was that normal lighthearted sound, and as much as Rosethorn felt guilty for doing so, she drank every word he was saying like it was refreshing water during a hot day. Even if Thorntail wasn't hers anymore, his presence still calmed the tom-hating and fearing she-cat she had transformed into.

Blackshadow fixed his friend with a cold amber gaze for a few heartbeats that seemed like moons, before he meowed, "Thorntail, they're two moons old."

"_Still_?"

Rosethorn flicked her tail about, now only half-listening as Blackshadow and Thorntail argued about the ages of the kits. She felt her heart warm as she stared at Thorntail. He looked so happy...so_ free_, now that she wasn't holding him down with her dark past. She had been right before – she didn't deserve him. Thorntail was blessed by StarClan, and would find another mate that StarClan approved of...like Tawnyleaf.

Rosethorn tried not to glare resentfully at the tawny-colored she-cat who had rolled onto her back in a purr at a joke Runningwhisker had made. Tawnyleaf had Thorntail, yet...she wasn't clinging to her mate's words for dear life, like Rosethorn was. She supposed...that you don't know you have a good thing, until it's gone.

Rosethorn's tail jerked into the air with surprise, as she saw a pale brown blurb rush right into the gray tomcat. Thorntail stumbled forward a few pawsteps, before he swung his head, and let out a snarl. "Cinnamonfur," he growled. "What is it?"

The young RiverClan tom was kneading the ground furiously with his paws, and seemed ready to spring into action at any moment as he meowed, "Thorntail, haven't you always dreamed that you were Silverleaf?"

The very name made Rosethorn feel torn. She disliked Silverleaf, but for some reason, she couldn't ever bring herself to hate him. She had wracked her brain why for over a moon now, and she had recently pieced it together: Silverleaf and she both shared dark pasts with their mentors. She with Flamesoul, him, with Goldclaw. Except Silverleaf had escaped by murdering his mentor. If only she had the guts to do the same...

Thorntail narrowed his eyes at the mention of his former apprentice, but his voice was calm as he growled, "Why would I dream that I looked like a she-cat?"

"Not _that_," Cinnamonfur retorted, flicking his tail wildly about as if he were swatting super-flies from the air. "But...haven't you ever felt jealous of him for being the only tom in a Clan full of she-cats?"

"Who hasn't?" Blackshadow mumbled, reminding Rosethorn that her Clanmate was still there. However, he almost instantly excused himself after putting his two-sense in on the matter, and went off to collect that 'information' that Applefur had ordered him to retrieve.

Thorntail's jaws parted into a yawn, and Rosethorn wondered if it was a real yawn or if he feigned it to seem bored. "I think every real tomcat in the forest has."

Cinnamonfur let out a purr of pure glee, and Rosethorn didn't feel that pulsing fear rush through her like she had back at camp when some other toms had purred. She looked at Thorntail, and felt those guilty-pleasure butterflies float around in her stomach. For some reason, he just made her feel safe – even if his promise of protection no longer stood because he no longer shared her Clan.

"Well then, Thorntail, you need to come over here _right now_!" Cinnamonfur flicked his wild tail over towards a small clump of bushes that was growing just on the side of the hollow. "You need to speak to Timidstar, _now_!"

"Am I joining WindClan or something?" Thorntail asked rising to his paws.

"No, no." Cinnamonfur meowed briskly. "Follow me!" the RiverClan warrior scurried off and Thorntail took a pawstep to follow him, before hesitating.

"Cinnamonfur, I'll catch up!" Thorntail called after his Clanmate, who flicked his tail to show that he had heard. Rosethorn looked at the gray tomcat curiously, wondering if he was going to share a quick word with Tawnyleaf before following Cinnamonfur to speak to Timidstar...

Instead, Thorntail shifted, and soon he was staring her right in the eye. Rosethorn felt bubbles rise up inside her, and she felt as light as a feather. It was like she was an apprentice with a silly crush on a cat she could never have...

"Rosethorn," Rosethorn felt her eyes round with awe. Thorntail was actually speaking to her? Maybe her first instinct had been right, and he had planned on bridging the space that had grown between them – but hadn't been able to before because Blackshadow and Cinnamonfur had been in the way... Whatever it was, just hearing him say her name again made her feel almost as if he really_ did_ love her.

But his eyes were that of an enemy warrior speaking to a cat in another Clan. That alone was what reminded Rosethorn of what they had become, as he meowed cheerfully, "How are things in ThunderClan?"

She didn't even notice that Thorntail _knew _what was going on in ThunderClan from his talk with Blackshadow as she answered, "Every-everything's fine." She had to lie about that an awful lot lately.

Thorntail narrowed his eyes. "So...everything's fine. So nothing's happened with Flamesoul..." Was that relief in his voice?

Thorntail gave her a curt nod, before he turned to follow Cinnamonfur. Rosethorn watched him go, flabbergasted. He asked her about Flamesoul and her Clan...and had said her name...and now he was just going to leave? No...He wouldn't have asked those things unless he still cared!

Before she could think the better of it, she called out to him. "Thorntail, wait!"

He stopped instantly, and twisted his neck so his ice-blue eyes were staring into hers.

"Thorntail...are...are we...are we _really _over?" Rosethorn knew how silly she sounded – the cat had _left the Clan_ to get away from her – but she still clung to that shred of hope, that last hair of hope, that deep down, the Thu- _RiverClan_ warrior still cared for her.

Thorntail held her gaze for a full heartbeat, before he turned his body so that he was facing her as a whole. He was silent for a few moments that seemed to Rosethorn, to last forever, before he meowed softly, "Isn't it easier for both of us this way?" Thorntail couldn't have hurt her more if he had dug his thorn-sharp fangs into her neck. "I mean...what's the point of us struggling together? We had gone stagnant; anyways... we weren't getting any closer... Rosethorn, it had ended long before I had told you that it did. You know that as well as I do."

Rosethorn wanted to deny it, but how could she? It was true. All they had was a spiritual love...they weren't going to progress as normal mates to – when they would mate, and have kits, and watch them grow...

"But..." Thorntail looked down at his paws, and shuffled them as if he was embarrassed about something, "it was really fun. For the first time, I was completely devoted to a single she-cat." He looked up, and took a pawstep towards her.

Rosethorn felt numb. She didn't know what was coming...was he going to apologize, take her back, or was he going to say good-bye for one last time? She stared into his big, blue eyes that were identical to hers, and waited.

"I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending I never cared for you when I did... So I'm going to say this in all honesty: Rosethorn, I am really glad I got to know you." Thorntail dipped his head in the deepest of respect to her, but to Rosethorn, he might as well have thrown dung into her face. It would have had the same, hurtful effect. "Bye-bye."

The gray tomcat followed Cinnamonfur's previous path, and soon disappeared into the mass of cats.

Rosethorn would've run after him, but her paws seemed as heavy as stone. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into her nest back at camp and just cry out, and sob, and...Do anything to make the hollow feeling inside go away. But she knew she couldn't. Not here. If she had been a warrior she could've. She would've been looked down upon for showing such weakness at a gathering if she was a warrior, but it wouldn't have brought her any true shame... But since she was a medicine cat, and wasn't ever supposed to have loved Thorntail in the first place, she had to stand rigid, with a stoic expression, and act as if nothing at all had happened – even as a storm of heartbreak raged within her.

Rosethorn blinked as she heard a voice behind her. "'A she-cat from ThunderClan...'" it sounded as if the cat was quoting someone...

Rosethorn twisted her neck around, to see Tawnyleaf watching her through narrowed eyes. Rosethorn cringed. Had Tawnyleaf heard what had just happened? How long had the RiverClan she-cat been watching her?

"So _you're_ the she-cat from ThunderClan that made Thorntail so sane," Tawnyleaf meowed thoughtfully, twitching the tip of her tail.

"I...I have no clue what you're talking about." Rosethorn snapped, feeling the fur on her neck bristle.

Tawnyleaf's whiskers twitched. "Don't worry, neither do I."

Rosethorn stiffened as she stared into the leaf-green eyes of the RiverClan she-cat. What was that...that familiar feeling that had just surged through her?

"Anyways," Tawnyleaf meowed beginning to rasp her tongue along a forepaw, "I had been speaking to Runningwhisker about her kits in WindClan with Ravenfeather, Rinoa, and Rockyheart...would you like to join us?"

Rosethorn blinked curiously, as she felt Tawnyleaf's golden pelt brush against her own ruby. She felt that same warm, protective feeling she had gotten with Thorntail...but for some reason, this one seemed more like a façade. An illusion...So familiar... When had Rosethorn felt this before? It had to have been recent. Couldn't have been more than a moon ago...

Before Rosethorn could give her answer to Tawnyleaf's question, the RiverClan she-cat had wrapped her tail around her neck, and was leading her towards the group of cats that she had previously mentioned.

Realizing that there was no way out now, Rosethorn settled herself down beside the tabby WindClan she-cat, Runningwhisker. Rosethorn noticed that Tawnyleaf picked a spot between a gorgeous black and white she-cat that smelled of RiverClan, and Ravenfeather, the ShadowClan deputy.

"Rosethorn, this is everyone, everyone, this is Rosethorn, she's the ThunderClan medicine cat." Tawnyleaf announced briskly as if she had been introducing cats every moment of every day for her entire life.

Rosethorn noticed Ravenfeather eyeing her scarlet pelt carefully. "Tawnyleaf, are you trying to bring another medicine cat to the dark side of the warrior code?"

Rosethorn stared blankly at Ravenfeather. What did the ShadowClan she-cat mean by that? She was so busy wracking her brain for the answer; she didn't hear Tawnyleaf's response. Though, it must've been a clever one because Ravenfeather didn't comment anymore.

"So, Runningwhisker, you finally had your kits?" Rosethorn asked trying to distract herself from...well, everything, and noticing that the WindClan queen's belly wasn't round any longer.

Runningwhisker glanced at her excitedly, and Rosethorn wondered whether or not she had heard a groan from the other cats around her. "Yes, I did. I gave birth to three kits."

The black and white RiverClan she-cat's green and blue eyes glittered as she put in, "But none of them are toms, so you failed in your mission miserably, and have let down your Clan. How terrible! Now you have to mate with that gorgeous tomcat again! Poor you... " She paused. "But seriously though, will there be more kits?"

Rosethorn recalled that WindClan had no tomcats aside from Silverleaf.

"Well, there will definitely be _more _kits." Runningwhisker retorted. "I love him, he loves me, and that always ends with kits."

Rockyheart, ShadowClan's medicine cat apprentice stared at Runningwhisker through narrowed eyes, and seemed to be trying to fight a purr rising in her throat. "Love you?" she burst out. "Great StarClan, Runningwhisker, he doesn't love you at all. He may have _mated_ with you, but hasn't he with every single one of your Clan? You just happened to be the only one _lucky _enough to have kits."

Tawnyleaf spoke up, "Isn't Moortail a queen now too?"

The conversation soon had the distress at Thorntail's words knolled, and Rosethorn was able to – albeit briefly – forget about what had just happened.

Rockyheart's yellow eyes widened, and her rusty-red fur bristled as she seemed to find another way to dig at the love-struck Runningwhisker. "So Moortail is having..."

"Has had..." Runningwhisker corrected her voice hoarse.

"Ah." Rockyheart nodded. "So your Clanmate Moortail _has had_ Silverleaf's kits as well, yes? Runningwhisker, this is quite obvious – Silverleaf_ doesn't_ love you. You shouldn't love him, either...There's a line between love and just playing grown-up warrior games."

"But every cat in WindClan_ is_ in love with him." Ravenfeather meowed thoughtfully, twitching her tail. "I heard Rabbitfur bragging about her... hmmm..._'warrior adventures'_ with WindClan's prized she-cat looking tom. She's clearly infatuated with him as well..." Ravenfeather glanced around. "And I don't notice your deputy, Mapleleaf, anywhere..."

Rosethorn's heart went out to Runningwhisker, who mewed in a shaky voice, "Timidstar ordered her to stay behind with Silverleaf..."

Rosethorn heard Ravenfeather hiss almost inaudibly into Rockyheart's ear, "I would to, if I were in Timidstar's place. No doubt there's a struggle for power in WindClan."

Rosethorn didn't understand what Ravenfeather meant by that, so she asked Runningwhisker the names of the kits. The tabby seemed relieved to get off the subject of her 'love' for Silverleaf as she meowed, "Well, I had three she-kits. I named one Sunkit, and he named the other two Tawnykit and Rinoakit."

Rosethorn didn't have time to comment on the names – especially 'Rinoakit' because the black and white RiverClan warrior flicked her tail cheekily as she meowed, "I bet you a mouse that the first time a WindClan cat has a tom, it'll die...that would be just your luck."

Ravenfeather raised her tail into the air. "Wait a heartbeat," she growled using her whole aura of deputyship authority in her tone. "Runningwhisker, what kind of name is _Rinoa_kit?"

"My name's 'Rinoa'...Rinoa is a good name," the RiverClan she-cat from earlier piped up.

"Yes, but what is a _rinoa_?" Rockyheart mumbled.

Rinoa shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't know...Tawnyleaf named me after her deceased daughter..."

Rosethorn noticed that Tawnyleaf stiffened as the conversation went on – and the golden-brown she-cat's jaw dropped open as Runningwhisker mused, "I asked Silverleaf about the name, and he told me that 'Rinoa' was the name of his deceased sister, too." Runningwhisker's eyes rounded in awe, and she jerked her head towards Tawnyleaf. "If your daughter and Silverleaf's sister both had the same name...that means...that means...that means that..." Runningwhisker took in a deep breath. "That means cats with the name 'Rinoa' certainly don't live very long."

Rosethorn stared at Runningwhisker. The WindClan queen had had the right idea, certainly...if only she had taken it further. If Silverleaf's dead sister, and Tawnyleaf's dead daughter had the same name...yes, that could mean that cats with the name Rinoa didn't live long...but it could also mean...

Rosethorn looked at Tawnyleaf, who was digging her claws into the earth at something Rockyheart was saying to her. Tawnyleaf had leaf-green eyes, slim shoulders, long legs...she looked so familiar. And her aura, that weird illusive-aura that shrouded her reminded Rosethorn of someone too. If...if Tawnyleaf's pelt was silver, instead of gold then she would look just like_ him_. And if Silverleaf had a dead sister that carried the same name as Tawnyleaf's dead daughter, then that could mean that Tawnyleaf was Silverleaf's -

"Mother!"

Rosethorn turned her head, to see a pale ginger she-cat rushing towards Tawnyleaf, full-speed. Rosethorn recognized the cat in an instant: It was her Clanmate, Gingerpaw.

Gingerpaw stumbled to a halt about a kitten's step away from Tawnyleaf, and identical leaf-green eyes burned into one another. Rosethorn's Clanmate's eyes were shining, though Tawnyleaf's darkened.

Rosethorn took this pause and gazed at the expressions each cat in their group carried. Runningwhisker just looked confused that a random apprentice would come out of nowhere, Rinoa had busied herself by batting at the same butterfly Morninglight and Blackshadow had played with earlier...but the two ShadowClan cats, Rockyheart and Ravenfeather, their eyes were shadowed with interest, as if they knew exactly what would happen.

Gingerpaw used a tentative paw to try and touch Tawnyleaf's flank, but before she could complete the exchange, the RiverClan she-cat leapt back, as if Rosethorn's Clanmate had some sort of disease. "I don't know you." Rosethorn flinched at how cold Tawnyleaf's tone was. Rosethorn noticed that Rinoa and Runningwhisker did the same – and Rockyheart and Ravenfeather dug their claws into the earth, as if Tawnyleaf's reaction made them furious. Why did the ShadowClan cats feel so strongly about the RiverClan cat's reaction?

Gingerpaw just stared at Tawnyleaf as if dumbfounded for a few heartbeats, before she took another pawstep to the cat she believed to be her mother. "But..._I _know _you_. No cat ever forgets the scent of their mother – you have it. And my mother was a beautiful tawny-colored cat with eyes of pale green... My brother told me so, even though_ I_ can't remember... You're my mother...though Twilightfur always described you as a cat as black as coal with a heart to match, with eyes as red as blood with horns spewing out of your forehead – but somehow, I don't believe that..."

Tawnyleaf shook her head. Her voice was hoarse, as she meowed, "I don't have any kits anymore...they all went to StarClan."

Gingerpaw stared at Tawnyleaf for a long moment in silence, as if unable to comprehend that the she-cat before her wasn't her mother. Rosethorn wondered who was correct: A heartbeat ago she had thought that this Tawnyleaf was Silverleaf's mother – and therefore would be Gingerpaw's too, but...why would she deny her own kit?

The ThunderClan apprentice seemed to accept Tawnyleaf's words as the truth, because she looked down at her paws and shuffled them in embarrassment. "I'm sorry...I just thought that you might be here..." she looked up, and her eyes shone once more, as if she had already forgotten her embarrassment. "Well...even if you're not _my _mother, you _are_ really pretty...you should have some more kits of your own."

Rosethorn jumped as she heard a venomous voice spew out from behind her, "Some cats don't deserve to have kits,"

Rosethorn jerked her head about and soon found herself staring into the cold eyes of Twilightfur – who was clearly as skilled at sneaking about as her brother, because the medicine cat had not noticed the warrior's approach. Gingerpaw padded over to her sister, and pressed her muzzle affectionately into the blue-gray ThunderClan warrior's side. In answer, Twilightfur laid her tail on Gingerpaw's forehead, but didn't take her eyes off of Tawnyleaf.

"Cats like _you_, Tawnyleaf." Twilightfur continued, narrowing her eyes into tin, hateful slits. "You chose a warm, fuzzy Clan to wrap itself around you to protect you from the harsh world outside... You chose _that,_ instead of the cats _you_ had brought into the world. Time will tell if you made the right decision."

Rosethorn expected Tawnyleaf to defend herself, but all the RiverClan cat was doing was digging her claws into the earth beneath her paws, as if imagining that it was Twilightfur's pelt.

Twilightfur turned her attention to her sister, and gave the tiny scrap a quick lick between the ears, before she meowed, "Tawnyleaf was right, Gingerpaw. She isn't our mother. A mother is warm, kind, and caring, and would protect her kits at all costs. A mother would die for her kits; she wouldn't expect her _kits to die for her_. She wouldn't sacrifice them so she could have an easier and more relaxed life, would she?"

Rosethorn didn't hear Gingerpaw's answer, or the excuse Twilightfur had used so she and her sister could pad over to speak to Badgerclaw and a group of warriors from other Clans...

Rosethorn was too wrapped up in her thoughts to see the other cat's reactions to the event that had just played out before them. In fact, she didn't even acknowledge her _own_ reaction. Twilightfur's words rang in her head – along with Thorntail's.

_A mother is warm, kind, and caring, and would protect her kits at all costs. She wouldn't sacrifice them so she could have an easier and more relaxed life, would she? _

Though Rosethorn hadn't heard Gingerpaw's answer, she could answer Twilightfur's question herself: No, a good mother would _never_ sacrifice her kit. Thorntail had said before that Streamstar had sacrificed her to Flamesoul... and, if Rosethorn thought about it, in a way she had... But Streamstar was still her mother...and Streamstar would die for her like any mother would for her kit, right? Streamstar wouldn't expect Rosethorn to die for her... right?

_Right? _

Rosethorn got off that morbid path of thought, when she heard a loud yowl atop the Great Rock. She raised her gaze, and saw that already the leaders of RiverClan, WindClan, ShadowClan, and ThunderClan were clumped on the great stone. Duststar, RiverClan's leader, seemed to be the one who had cried out as he was standing a pawstep or so in front of the others. Duststar waited a few moments for the last of the conversation to die down, before he meowed diplomatically, "Cats of all Clans, StarClan has once again brought us together under the truce of the full moon... Smokestar, would you like to begin?"

Smokestar gave Duststar a curt nod, and as the RiverClan leader stepped back to stand beside Timidstar and Streamstar, Smokestar came forward. Rosethorn only half-listened to him, and only heard news of a few new apprentices, a new warrior, kits – generic things like that. The ShadowClan leader gave no mention of the attack on ThunderClan, however, and he soon allowed Timidstar to give her news.

Timidstar dipped her head to Smokestar, and she began to give WindClan's news. "WindClan has two new litters of kits," she announced. "And we have some new warriors. Skypaw and Yewpaw are now Skyclaw and Yewpelt." Though Timidstar was giving WindClan's news in that calm tone that leaders often used to reveal nothing but what they were saying, her eyes kept straying to something at the bottom of the Great Rock, though Rosethorn wasn't able to see just what had the WindClan leader's attention.

Timidstar went on to mention how WindClan was growing stronger, how she was gaining a good footing on her new position of leader, and other things that Rosethorn guessed almost every single cat ignored.

The WindClan leader soon stepped back, and Streamstar came forward. Rosethorn completely closed her ears to the message that her own mother and Clan leader had to give. She knew what it would be: Flamesoul had rejoined the Clan, Morninglight, Aquamist, and Beakclaw had received their warrior names, Flowertail had passed on to StarClan, and that their medicine cat apprentice had changed class and was going to train for her warrior name. Besides the warrior names, it was all bad news to the young medicine cat. Whether or not Streamstar mentioned the attack from ShadowClan, Rosethorn didn't know.

One of the leaders brought the meeting to a close – Rosethorn didn't notice who – and soon the Clans were starting to disperse. Well...at least WindClan and RiverClan were. Streamstar and Smokestar were still in the shadow of the Great Rock, and seemed to be speaking to each other in soft tones. Rosethorn guessed Streamstar was challenging him about the recent attack on her Clan, but she couldn't he positive. Either way, without the leaders giving an order to leave, ShadowClan and ThunderClan had a prolonged Gathering with just the two of them.

"Hey, that's weird."

Rosethorn swung her head to see that Blackshadow had returned to her. The ebony-furred tom was looking at the stream of WindClan cats exiting the hollow.

"What's weird?" she asked her friend curiously.

Blackshadow didn't shake his amber gaze from the retreating WindClan cats. "I was talking to these RiverClan cats named Speedtail and Cinnamonfur earlier. I can smell as good as ever – Cinnamonfur and Speedtail were _definitely_ RiverClan cats. So...why are they leaving with WindClan?"

Rosethorn looked at the group of WindClan warriors more carefully. Blackshadow was right. Cinnamonfur, the cat who had been harassing Thorntail to speak to Timidstar earlier was padding alongside a golden tomcat with darker patches that she knew was Speedtail – Thorntail had introduced them, once. Both toms were circling around the WindClan cats, and kept giving each other excited glances.

Rosethorn's heart skipped a beat – and then lurched forward – when she saw Thorntail padding alongside Timidstar. He was saying something softly in her ear, and from the she-cat's expression it certainly wasn't an insult.

"I wonder what's going on..." Blackshadow murmured, curling his tail in thought.

Rosethorn shrugged, unable to answer his question...when she felt a cat nudge her in her flank. She turned her head, and soon found that she was staring into the yellow orbs of the ShadowClan deputy, Ravenfeather. She had been sitting further away before and Rosethorn hadn't noticed, but now she could see a fresh wound running down Ravenfeather's cheek... Rosethorn recalled Thorntail fighting both the ShadowClan deputy and leader at once. That slash on her cheek was from Thorntail's claws...

Was it sick to envy Ravenfeather for having something that Thorntail had given her?

"You two seriously don't know?" Ravenfeather asked curiously, her whiskers twitching in sheer surprise. When neither Blackshadow nor Rosethorn answered, Ravenfeather snorted. "Rosethorn, surely _you_ know. Tell your mouse-brained friend here."

Rosethorn opened her mouth to do so, but for the life of her, she had no idea _what _Ravenfeather was talking about.

Ravenfeather looked at her in awe. "You don't know?" Rosethorn shook her head no and this made Ravenfeather stumble back in over-exaggerated surprise. When the deputy had regained the composure she had pretended to lose, Ravenfeather meowed, "Rosethorn, you heard. Every cat in WindClan thinks that they are in love with Silverleaf."

"What...does that have to do with RiverClan warriors following WindClan home?" Blackshadow asked.

Ravenfeather let out a purr of amusement, and explained. "Think for a moment, you two. Silverleaf didn't even come to the Gathering when he received his warrior name...did he?"

Rosethorn shook her head, no. So she hadn't been the only cat who had found that weird last gathering...

Ravenfeather seemed relieved that _some_ cat knew what she was talking about, and she went on, "And he didn't come to this one either... and Mapleleaf was specifically ordered by Timidstar to stay behind with Silverleaf... And at the same time, every WindClan she-cat is throwing themselves to Silverleaf's mercy. Rosethorn, Shadow,"

"_Black_shadow,"

"I'm calling you Shadow. Only cats with common sense get warrior names," Ravenfeather growled coldly, and Blackshadow flattened his ears against his head – though Rosethorn didn't understand why Ravenfeather was being so cruel to her friend. "Anyways," Ravenfeather continued, "Rosethorn, Shadow, Timidstar is a _new_ Clan leader. Don't you think that a cat with that much power in the Clan is a threat to her?"

"Power?" Blackshadow echoed. "What do you mean 'power'. Silverleaf is just a regular warrior."

Ravenfeather rolled her eyes. "But _every single she-cat_ in WindClan thinks that she's in love with him. That alone gives him power and authority! And since he isn't WindClan born, Timidstar doesn't know for sure how responsibly he'll use the control he has over her warriors... If Silverleaf wanted to take over WindClan for some reason," Rosethorn knew Silverleaf didn't seem like the type of cat who would try and conquer a Clan, but she didn't comment as Ravenfeather went on, "If Silverleaf wanted to take over WindClan for some reason," Ravenfeather repeated, "how may cats would defend Timidstar? If they love Silverleaf...would their love for him override their loyalty?"

Rosethorn stared at Ravenfeather in awe. She was right. If every cat in WindClan was infatuated with Silverleaf – as they certainly seemed to be – their love for him might clash with their loyalty to their Clan. If Silverleaf tried to usurp Timidstar as leader of WindClan, how many of Timidstar's warriors would fight for _her_? So_ that_ was why Mapleleaf had stayed behind – Silverleaf needed a cat to keep an eye on him at all times, otherwise he might concoct a plan to become WindClan leader. Or maybe, Silverleaf would conquer the Clan in a smaller scale... It seemed more like him to keep Timidstar alive as some sort of figurehead, as he led the Clan and gave all the orders in the shadows. He was too conniving to just up and have a coup like Spottedstar had – as much as Silverleaf did seem to relish the thought of murder...

"But that doesn't explain why those RiverClan cats left with WindClan." Blackshadow pointed out.

"But it _does_." Ravenfeather growled. "Speedtail, Thorntail, and Cinnamonfur – I think those are the ones that left with WindClan, right? Those three are all very good looking – and _very willing_ tomcats."

"So...so...they are joining WindClan?" Blackshadow growled. "Just like that?"

"No," Ravenfeather shook her head. "At least, I don't think so. I was speaking to Rabbitfur of WindClan earlier. Apparently tonight, Silverleaf is at Mapleleaf's mercy at mating. I believe that while they are romping around on the outskirts of WindClan territory, inside the camp, the other warriors will have their pleasure with those RiverClan toms."

"Why?" Blackshadow asked.

"Because it ruins Silverleaf's standing. If the WindClan she-cats stop looking at him in pure admiration, and maybe fall in love with another cat – even if it is in another Clan – Silverleaf loses some of the authority he has. So in the end, Silverleaf will lose all the potential power he wields, and Timidstar will maintain hers without a single swipe of a claw. It's a grotesque thought – using mating to gain leadership of a Clan - and is an insult to the Warrior Code, but I must admit that Timidstar is quite intelligent to think of having some cats from other Clans come and raid the camp..."

"Wait a heartbeat," Blackshadow growled. "So you mean...Timidstar is hoping that her warriors will fall in love with one of those RiverClan cats – and forget about Silverleaf?"

"Exactly. Or...or maybe she just wants them to understand that there are other toms in the forest besides that feminine looking one. And it's genius: She isn't risking anything at all – but the three RiverClan warriors are if they get caught by Duststar...I think it's quite clever." Ravenfeather nodded.

"And how do you know all this?" Blackshadow challenged. "I mean...you're in ShadowClan. What do you know of WindClan's affairs?"

Ravenfeather flicked her tail dismissively. "I'm the ShadowClan deputy. I pick at the other Clan's weaknesses and try to find every single detail. Quite frankly, I was sort of hoping Smokestar would forget about his feud with ThunderClan and turn on WindClan. I would love to have some of their moors... All well." She shrugged, and dismissed herself before she began to follow her now-leaving Clan.

Rosethorn watched her go, standing rigid, and hardly noticed as Streamstar called for ThunderClan. So...Thorntail was just going to go into the WindClan camp and mate with every single she-cat there that was willing? She had thought maybe he had found true love in RiverClan...but all he was doing was breaking the Warrior Code! Of course...what did she expect? That was the cat Thorntail was. The Thorntail she loved...

Rosethorn didn't know why, but her friend Applefur flashed into her mind, along with the queen's words: _You two have gone through so much together, why are you giving up now? If you really love him, you need to tell him what's in your heart! ...Even if it feels mouse-brained, it doesn't matter. Go catch him, Rosethorn. Yowl. Throw a fit. Use the most mouse-brained, idiotic way if you have to – as long as it makes him stay, isn't it worth it? _

_S_he _did_ love Thorntail! And the fact that he was going to go take another she-cat as a mate without another thought made a gale of heartbreak wind around in Rosethorn's body. But it _was her fault_! She was the one who had pushed Thorntail away from her! She had chosen Flamesoul to take care of the Clan, instead of Thorntail to take care of her. And, besides, she was impure. Dirty. Maybe it was better if he had found a mate in WindClan – at least she wouldn't be so filthy...

Applefur's words rang in Rosethorn's ears again: _Why do you always feel like you're worthless, Rosethorn? Why do you always blame yourself? For once in your life, blame someone! Streamstar! _

Yes! Streamstar! Streamstar was the one who had been such a weak leader that she couldn't keep her Clan away from terrible disasters such as The Blood and Greencough, and attacks from ShadowClan! That was no fault of Rosethorn's! And it had been Streamstar who had made Rosethorn feel guilty enough about her mediocre skills as a medicine cat that she allowed Flamesoul into the Clan! Streamstar had been the one who had come up with the idea – it hadn't been Rosethorn! Twilightfur was right: A good mother would never sacrifice her kit!

_Flamesoul! _Applefur's voice rang in her head.

Yes! Flamesoul! Flamesoul was the one who had started all of this in the first place! If he had just been a good, loyal mentor and had not fallen prey to his disgusting feelings of lust, then Thorntail never would have had to leave! Rosethorn would have been innocent and pure, and never would have felt so inadequate! And if Flamesoul had never come back to the Clan, Thorntail never would have left! They would still have been together; they still would have loved each other! What Flamesoul had done to her when she was still an apprentice _was his sin, not hers_!

_Even me, if it suits your fancy! _Applefur's rant continued.

Yes! Applefur had chipped away at the little scrap of pride that Flamesoul hadn't torn up when she was an apprentice! Applefur, trying to steal Thorntail away from her... Why had she done that? Because she had been jealous of their love! Applefur had taken Thorntail as a mate – even if it had been before Rosethorn had even acknowledged Thorntail as a decent cat! And Applefur had poisoned Thorntail's mind against her when their love was still blooming!

And then there were Silverleaf, Shadenight, Spottedstar... they had all kept Thorntail and her from enjoying their love to the fullest! Why had they all poked their muzzles where it didn't belong?! _Those pieces of fox-dung_!

Flamesoul, Streamstar, Applefur, Silverleaf, Shadenight, Spottedstar...they had all been the things that had kept Thorntail and Rosethorn from getting close! It was no fault of hers!

Rosethorn suddenly remembered how she had rushed full-speed after Thorntail to try and keep him from leaving ThunderClan... then she would've done anything to keep him with her... Why so quickly did she lose her hope to get Thorntail back? Why'd she give up as soon as Thorntail dove into the river? No...no...She wasn't going to make the same mistake again. Admittedly, she couldn't run head-first into the WindClan camp and get him back before he took another cat as his mate for the night...

Okay. Thorntail would have his fun. But one way or another, he would eventually go back to his RiverClan camp. And to do that, he would have to cross the border of WindClan and RiverClan... And when he crossed, he would find her waiting for him.

"Blackshadow," Rosethorn meowed turning to the night-pelted warrior who was staring at her through worried amber eyes. "You go on back to camp, and give Applefur whatever information you had been hunting for. I'll follow you later... I need to get my mate back."

Blackshadow's eyes widened with surprise. "What...how are you going to do that?"

"I'm going to do exactly what Applefur told me to do... I'm going to yowl, shriek, throw a fit, and use my most idiotic and mouse-brained way to get him to love me again. Simple." Though, the more Rosethorn thought about it, the more she doubted she could. She had been ready to take on the whole of TigerClan for Thorntail just a heartbeat ago, why did she suddenly feel pessimistic about what she was about to do?

Blackshadow's ears twitched and Rosethorn thought she caught a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "You get more like Applefur every day. You know that, right Rosethorn?" he asked playfully. More seriously, he added, "Okay, Rosethorn. You do that. I'm going to run back to camp with our Clan, and tell Applefur everything...And you know Applefur. She'll probably want me and her to go straight into the WindClan camp and rip Thorntail away from the she-cats..." he shifted uncomfortably. "I guess that's what we'll do..."

Rosethorn flicked her tail with glee. "By the time the sun rises, Thorntail will be mine again," she vowed trying to mimic Applefur's cocky attitude. Though, she didn't have much hope for mending the relationship between she and Thorntail, she had to try. She always gave up on things too soon... She wouldn't this time. She was going to at least _try_ to wrap Thorntail around her paw once more.

And StarClan willing, she would succeed.

* * *

**I hope you liked it. Anyways, plushie, plushie, I need to give out a plushie... Runningwhisker? She said a lot...okay, you review, you get a Runningwhisker plushie. YAY! **

**Review. **


	26. Chapter 25

**I will give you my normal briefing on the chapter: This one is 18 pages long... I need to hire an editor. -sighs- But none of you can complain that it's too short, right? Well, anyways, There is some 'little warrior' lines from Thorntail that I have to warn you about - I'll tell you right now that he talks briefly about sperms...he just never uses the word - he calls them "the Clan of warriors within me" - ... And uh... I mention a 'Father-Daughter Massacre' in RiverClan that the story will explore with more detail LATER. But...other than that, I think I rushed this chapter too much - especially the ending...but when I tried to change it... Computer problems. So...yeah. It's long, and rushed at the same time... **

**But, luckily, my computer is being nice now, so I can answer reviews (Contrary to what I said earlier...) **

**Spottedmoon - Yes, there will be a third in the trilogy. And it will explain everything about Thorntail's parents and their relationship (because I've left you all more-or-less in the dark about that...) it will go into Silverleaf's TRUE origins - and his relationship with his dear old mum, Graywhisker's death (we don't know everything yet! lol), and some of Flamesoul lusting after Rosethorn... stuff like that. I'm looking forward to writing it!**

**Mapleleaf- I doubt the WindClan deputy will ever have kits. But if she does, yes, you can name them. Yes, Streamstar is a dung-head. And...I'm surprised you feel sorry for Gingerpaw - we don't really get to know her at all in this story, and...yeah. Oh, and the name 'Rinoa' came from... Well, my sister plays these games called Final Fantasy. Well in Final Fantasy VIII the heroine's name is 'Rinoa'. I don't know much about the character in Final Fantasy, but I do like the name... So that's where the name Rinoa came from. **

**Leafpool's Loyalty - I get so embarassed when the famous writers of fanfiction read this... -hides in a box- Anyways, I think this one is popular because I actually planned out what was going to happen... in Every Rose Has Its Thorns, I more or less made it up as I went - at least most parts, like the whole Spottedstar thing... **

**Swanfeather - She takes a different approach than her original plan...**

**Flamestar211 - Thanks!**

**Strangefur - I only have room in this fanfiction for one smart-mouthed jealous she-cat, thank you. lol. Anyways, thanks for reviewing! And earlier you said that you were going to stop critisizing me... -hits on the head with a hammer- SOMEBODY HAS TO DO IT! lol. I don't think I'm ever going to figure out the periods and apostrophes (which I can't spell... thing, but I tried! And I think I'm getting better at it... **

**Dawnfeather - I sort of like your names... Ebonypool...Ebonypelt... But I already have a name in my mind. :-)**

**Dragon-Star155- You're the only person to comment on Runningwhisker's...eh...INTELLIGENCE. lol. You get a cookie! -gives cookie-**

**Daklotles85 - Yes, she's supposed to be that way. Rosethorn isn't emotionally stable - that's why sometimes she's really weak, and sometimes she's really strong. And yes, cats have been having an effect on Thorntail. He doesn't do as many things to get himself killed anymore, and he's a lot more relaxed - he HAS developed, just...hasn't taken as powerful bounds as Rosethorn. **

**FenixGurl-Ice or Icewing - I wouldn't review the story before this one either! YIKES! Anyways, I don't think I ever mention how many kits Moortail had... but no, none of them are toms. **

**Peachfoot- YAY! Thanks for reviewing! **

**Skysong-Brooksilver - YAY! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Watersoul the head Star Walker - You want me to stick Silverleaf in? Is that what you asked? -shifts uncomfortably- Originally, in this chapter, there was a TINY scene with Silverleaf in it - it was going to be a cute moment between him and his sister that Rosethorn was going to see, but, sadly, it was edited out. That's why I build up that Twilightfur isn't in the camp at the beginning of this chapter... But sadly, I had to take Silverleaf's scene out, so I had room... **

**Silversnow of the Moors - Actually, you don't share a name with anyone. I just typed THEIR name wrong... -sniffle- **

**Steeltalon - Thankie doodles!**

**Pearl.H.Sweden- Yup, Goldclaw did make an appearence in Every Rose Has Its Thorns. So...sometime between when you saw him, and when Silverleaf joined ThunderClan, he was viciously and brutally murdered. **

**lmblovesmilk - Yup! Rosethorn finally grew a spine! Even ask Blackshadow! (you'll get that joke as soon as you read the chapter.) **

**Starsnow of EveClan - Sorry! I mistyped your name! Here's an 'I'm sorry cookie' -gives cookie- **

**Squirrelflightlover - That scene would've been fun to write, but, alas, no... that's not what happens EXACTLY. **

**Greenpool-Gylifie's Loyalty - Ebonypaw...has a speaking part in this chapter. lol. She is a background noise character, I'm afraid. I fairly-developed background noise character, admittedly, but a background character nonetheless. Sorries. -sniffle-**

**Strangefur- Wait...didn't I already reply to you? How did you review twice? Or did I make a mistake... -wracking brain- **

**Loyalflame- Yes, I named a kit Rinoakit. I think she'll be the kit most like her father, but... not everything's planned out yet...**

**Thanks, everyone, for reviewing! **

**Enjoy, **

* * *

A few wisps of clouds were spread out across the sky, but Applefur could still clearly see the full moon floating in the endlessly ebony sea even between the brambles of the nursery. But not as clearly as she could see her Clanmates pushing through the Gorse Tunnel for their return from the Gathering. 

Applefur shifted her sapphire gaze away from them, and turned her attention onto the black she-cat sitting on her haunches right beside her. "Ebonypaw, they're back," she mewed to the former-medicine cat apprentice who had not been chosen to go to FourTrees.

Ebonypaw's green eyes were hollow as she looked up from rasping her pink tongue along the sleeping Nightkit's back. "But you never answered my question!" she hissed. "I'm serious, Applefur. Tomorrow at sun-down Twilightfur and Sandpelt are going to assess me to see if I'm ready to receive my warrior name. I need you and Blackshadow to brush off my training before then!"

Applefur let out a sigh. The reason that Ebonypaw was switching her class to train as a warrior was still a complete mystery to her. She had always thought that Rosethorn's apprentice had been blossoming into a grand medicine cat... But no cat could deny that the night-pelted she-cat could make a grand _warrior _too. She was intelligent, keen... and as for her skills...

"Sure, I'll help you," she promised. "But why you need Blackshadow is beyond _my_ understanding. He couldn't chase a rabbit off of our territory, let alone a warrior, in my opinion."

"I'd ask Aquamist or Morninglight to help," Ebonypaw admitted, naming her sisters, "but it would seem so weird learning from the cats I grew up with."

Before Applefur could reply, the thud of pawsteps and the scratching of brambles against pelts alerted the two cats that another cat had entered the nursery. Applefur glanced towards the entrance to see the dark-pelted she-cat staring at them with curious sun-colored eyes. Her golden belly fur was fluffing out in curiosity as she asked, "How are Cloverkit and Bramblekit?"

Applefur nodded at her denmate. "They're fine, Dusktail. Slept all night,"

The queen looked relieved, and Applefur remembered that this was the first time that Dusktail had been away from her daughters for such a long period of time as the black she-cat began to cover the sleeping tabby kits with furious licks.

Applefur let Dusktail greet her kits in silence for a few heartbeats, before curiosity pierced her heart like a thorn. "How was the Gathering?"

Ebonypaw looked especially interested, and she leaned closer to Dusktail as she asked, "ShadowClan going to cause more trouble?"

Dusktail looked at them helplessly. "Neither Smokestar nor Streamstar even _mentioned_ the attack on the camp or the one on Icepelt's patrol." Dusktail licked a single black paw and rubbed it against her ear as she continued, "Nothing really special happened at the gathering, really. New warriors and apprentices were really the only things that the leaders announced for their Clans..." The young queen looked thoughtful for a few heartbeats. "In fact, it was rather dull... The most interesting is the new developments in Twilightfur's and your brother's relationship, Applefur."

Applefur's ears pricked at the mention of her former mentor and only living brother, Badgerclaw. She had known that he had been padding after the kin of Silverleaf for a long time now... but what had bloomed between them?

"What happened?" Ebonypaw asked the question for her.

Dusktail's eyes glinted. "Well," she meowed, "apparently Twilightfur doesn't share Badgerclaw's feelings. He's fallen hopelessly in love with her, and she just sees him as a friend and ally."

"Poor Badgerclaw." Ebonypaw murmured.

Applefur purposely examined the earth so the two she-cats in the den with her wouldn't see the relief that she could feel clouding her sapphire eyes. Twilightfur seemed nice enough, and, though at first she had disliked the blue-gray she-cat, she had since grown on her. But... if Twilightfur ended up having Badgerclaw's kits, they would be Applefur's kin. Applefur's _and_ Silverleaf's nieces and nephews. The thought of sharing blood with a cat who _also _shared blood with Silverleaf made her fur bristle.

Dusktail grunted agreement with Ebonypaw's earlier comment. "Thing is, Badgerclaw didn't seem to be able to accept Twilightfur's rejection, and kept hounding her. On the way back to camp, she seemed to decide enough is enough and ran off..."

"For good?" Ebonypaw gasped, and Applefur had to stifle a purr at how naïve Rosethorn's former apprentice was.

"Of course not." Dusktail assured her. "She's probably hiding somewhere in our territory to think. She'll be back tomorrow, I'm almost...sure..." Dusktail parted her jaws into a yawn, and her tail drooped down to the earth. "I'm exhausted..." she muttered. "Ebonypaw, don't you sleep in the apprentice's den with Gingerpaw now? I think you should go rest..." There was a small pause, before Dusktail continued, "And Applefur, Badgerclaw's _your_ brother. Maybe you should go tell him that he's going about the matter with Twilightfur all wrong. Arguing with her is not going to change her feelings towards him..."

Applefur opened her mouth to answer Dusktail, but was once again cut off by another mew coming from the entrance of the nursery. She couldn't get a word in edge wise today... She swung her head to see who had interrupted her, and noticed Blackshadow staring at her through narrowed amber eyes at the entrance to the nursery. He was beckoning for her to come speak to him.

As Ebonypaw hurried from the den, Applefur excused herself from Dusktail, and trotted over to Blackshadow. The warrior briefly touched his muzzle to her side, before he led her to one of the more shady spots in camp, engulfed in shadows.

"Blackshadow!" Applefur hissed indignantly. "It's late! I don't want to right now!"

Blackshadow let out a sigh. "I'm exhausted too..."

"Then why do you want to mate _now_?"

"That's not what I – never mind!" Blackshadow shook his head violently. "Applefur...Thorntail came to the Gathering." He went on to explain how he was going to raid the WindClan camp – and WindClan she-cats – and that Rosethorn had grown the spine that Flamesoul had ripped out, and was going to try and get her gray cat back.

Applefur stared blankly at her mate, unable to grasp these new concepts. In her shock, she wasn't able to think completely logically, she gasped, "Flamesoul ripped out Rosethorn's spine?! Wow...he's worse than I thought!"

"What? _No_!" Blackshadow jerked his tail around wildly. "That's a matter of speech, Applefur!"

Applefur nodded, and wanted to claw her own eyes out for saying something so mouse-brained. But she was still in slight shock. Rosethorn was actually going to try and get Thorntail back? That didn't seem like her scarlet friend at all! Maybe it was a doppelganger of some sort?

Blackshadow seemed to sense her disbelief. "I'm positive that I was speaking to Rosethorn, Medicine Cat of ThunderClan."

Applefur felt her mouth drop open. Great StarClan, Rosethorn _had _grown a spine! If only...if only she was using it the right way! Waiting for Thorntail at the _border_? By that time he would've taken on so many WindClan cats as a mate, he probably won't even remember the name 'Rosethorn!' A cat had to stop him before anything like that could happen! Thorntail could not take a new mate tonight!

An idea sprung into her mind.

"Blackshadow, let's go trespass onto WindClan territory."

_Thorn...Gray_

The wind blew hard against the scarlet she-cat's pelt, but she didn't flinch. Her sapphire eyes were resting firmly on the plateau of moorland before her. The plateau of moorland that was WindClan territory. WindClan territory where Thorntail was.

Rosethorn let out a sigh. _What_ had she been thinking back at FourTrees? She couldn't get Thorntail back...she had been right before. He would never give her a second glance now, not after she had betrayed him... Yes...yes he would. Hadn't he told her he loved her? But that was before Flamesoul...

Rosethorn shook herself. She wouldn't get anywhere if she kept arguing with herself. Whether Thorntail would love her again or not, she was going to _try_. "There are a lot of things I have to tell you," she murmured ripping her gaze from the moors and fixing them onto her red paws. "And there are a lot of things I want you to hear..."

She raised her sapphire gaze, and glared cruelly up at the eye of StarClan. The round silvery blue orb. The moon. It was obvious from everything that happened that StarClan didn't want her and Thorntail together. First Applefur, then Spottedstar, then Shadenight, Silverleaf, and now Flamesoul. And they always popped up almost a day or so after the other one was out of the way...

StarClan was against them.

But, had a day gone by when Rosethorn and Thorntail _didn't_ defy StarClan's will?

_Thorn...Gray_

Blackshadow's long ebony legs were almost numb with exhaustion, as he and Applefur finally stumbled towards WindClan's camp. He glanced at the sky, amazed to see that the moon was just _starting_ to sink below the horizon. They had made miraculous time... But he couldn't say he wasn't tired...

"That was probably the easiest thing I've ever done," Applefur proclaimed haughtily as she glanced down at the tiny dip in the earth that WindClan had made its home in. "We're deep in WindClan territory, and we didn't get stopped by _one _patrol." She blinked curiously. "I wonder what they're all doing."

Blackshadow was too busy panting to answer. However, in his mind, he praised StarClan that just a few moons prior he had helped attack the WindClan camp – otherwise he would never have noticed it. It was completely hidden behind tangled gorse. He couldn't see what was going on in the Clan that Timidstar' reigned over, but he was pretty sure he as about to find out, because Applefur – still filled with energy because she hadn't had to go to FourTrees and back earlier that night – started to rush forward, and that meant that he had to follow.

Blackshadow glanced around the camp calmly, expecting some cat to question why there were two ThunderClan warriors standing in the WindClan camp, but not a single cat turned their head.

Blackshadow sniffed the air, and wasn't the least-bit surprised when he noticed the tangy WindClan scent whispering in the breeze alongside the flowing scent of RiverClan. However, he couldn't taste the pungent scent that was always left behind when two cats came together as mates – which meant that nothing had happened. Yet.

He drew his gaze across the camp and noticed that most of the cats were relaxing by rather large boulder. They were speaking to each other in soft purrs, and Blackshadow guessed that the RiverClan toms were getting to know the WindClan she-cats before any "raiding" happened.

"And no cat notices us..." Applefur meowed, her voice in complete awe. She glanced at Blackshadow. "I guess we could consider that a miracle..." She curled her tail, and murmured softly, "I wonder..." she paused and drew in a breath. "Hey! WindClan! We're two ThunderClan cats standing in the middle of your camp! Come stop us!"

Blackshadow cringed, half expecting all the cats to unsheathe their claws and rush towards them with fangs bared, but all they got were a few curious glances, before the RiverClan and WindClan cats continued with their conversations.

"Wow. They really don't care!" Applefur gasped.

"They probably think that we're here for the same reason the RiverClan cats are..." Blackshadow meowed carefully, when he felt his amber eyes round with astonishment as he noticed a big tom break away from the clump of cats by the large boulder. His pelt was darkened by the shadows of the night, but Blackshadow could still tell it had a gray tint. The gray cat turned to the WindClan cats and called, "Right...A rabbit for Timidstar, a robin for me...Skyclaw, do you need anything?"

Blackshadow recognized that voice instantly. It was Thorntail! He couldn't help but give thanks to StarClan as his former Clanmate began to pick through WindClan's fresh-kill pile, probably for the pieces of prey that he had promised to retrieve for the other cats. And best of all, he was _alone_.

Apparently Applefur noticed the perfect moment as well, because she poked him in hard in the side with an unsheathed claw. "You're Thorntail's best friend. You go talk to him. I'll finish him off."

_Yeah, my talking to him worked real well last time, didn't it? _He thought bitterly, thinking of his argument with Thorntail when he was pleading with him to stay in ThunderClan. Blackshadow hesitated for a few heartbeats before he finally trotted towards his friend.

Thorntail was using one of his forepaws to nudge some inadequate prey out of the way as he dug for the best. Blackshadow let out a sigh, and watched him for a moment or so. What could he say? Thorntail was a full grown warrior, and was allowed to make his own decisions. Lost for words, he said the first thing that came to mind: "Did it really have to turn out like this?" He was referring to Thorntail's relationship with Rosethorn.

Thorntail probably had scented him, because he didn't seem the least bit surprised that his friend from ThunderClan was in the camp. The RiverClan warrior didn't look up from the rabbit he was examining for flaws as he meowed, "Blackshadow," his voice was cold, "I came here to have fun. What you're about to say will only upset me, so kindly keep it to yourself."

Blackshadow lowered his head obediently. If Thorntail didn't want to listen, then he wouldn't. He couldn't force Thorntail to do anything he didn't want to do. Though, he did notice that something was wrong with his old friend. He didn't seem so carefree now...

Apparently Applefur thought otherwise, because she rushed forward. Blackshadow felt her pelt brushing against his as she hissed, "If talking about Rosethorn would upset you, why did you pad away from her in the first place?!"

Thorntail let out a hard, bitter purr. "What's your problem?" he asked coolly. "Don't be like this... I've just found myself another she-cat, I couldn't be happier, and now you two are annoying me. Why don't you both run on back to your camp?"

Thorntail gripped a rabbit by its leg, and a robin in his jaws. With one last icy glance at the two ThunderClan cats, he turned and padded back towards the group of WindClan and RiverClan cats. Applefur let out a ferocious screech and started to run after him, but Blackshadow stopped her with a warning hiss.

Applefur snapped her head towards him, her eyes burning blue fire. "Are you coming with me?!"

"No...Don't bother him right now." Blackshadow advised, keeping his amber gaze locked onto Thorntail's gray fur.

Applefur stared at him like he had grown another head. And an ugly head that was calling her names, at that. "What do you mean?!" she hissed. "Rosethorn's been so distraught at camp – you saw her snap at us when Icepelt got injured! Thorntail did that to her, and you're telling me not to bother him?! Are you mad?!"

Blackshadow just stared at her for a few heartbeats, before he growled, "Do you really think he's any happier than Rosethorn?"

Applefur glared at him digging her claws into the earth before she finally seemed to understand what he was saying. "Fine," she mewed darkly. Suddenly, her eyes rounded in amazement as if she had just come up with a brilliant idea, and her mood seemed to shift and she meowed a little more cheerfully, "...Blackshadow, I'm going back to camp."

Blackshadow narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Applefur was never the type of cat to just retreat with her tail between her legs. "Who are you, and what have you done with Applefur?"

"Oh, you think I've given up, do you?" Applefur growled. "Well, I guess, _I _have." Her eyes glittered, as she continued, "But _you_ haven't."

Blackshadow stared at her, completely confused. "What?"

Applefur's eyes dug into his. "I have to go back to camp – I have _six_ kits to look after, so I can't exactly just dawdle in the WindClan camp for long..." She gave a scathing glance towards where Thorntail at padded off to, and Blackshadow followed her gaze. He cringed when he saw that Thorntail and WindClan's _leader_, Timidstar, kept exchanging flirtatious blue glances.

_Thorntail's no match for a she-cat with blue eyes, _Blackshadow reminded himself. And if one was going to have a forbidden mate, why not go for the Clan leader?

Blackshadow turned his attention back to his mate, who had her crimson fur bristling so much that she looked twice her size. "Yes, _I_ have to go home..." she mewed, half to herself. "But you're staying here."

"_What_?!"

"You heard me," Applefur retorted. "You're staying here... Try to keep Thorntail from having too much fun."

"And how am I supposed to do that?!" Blackshadow asked, still flabbergasted. "Keep him from getting too friendly with any of the she-cats?!"

Applefur flicked her tail with glee. "That should work," she purred. "Don't let me down, Blackshadow. Do this for me, and I'll reward you properly." She ran her tongue along his cheek. Her eyes glimmered like warriors of Silverpelt, and Blackshadow just held her gaze feeling a sudden erotic instinctive urge rise within him – before the ThunderClan queen mewed a, "Bye-bye," and slipped off.

Blackshadow watched her go, his head still spinning from the events. So...he was in the WindClan camp...and he had to keep a RiverClan warrior from mating with the WindClan leader, so that he could instead patch up the relationship between him and the ThunderClan medicine cat. And he had to do so fast, because Rosethorn certainly wouldn't wait forever.

"I wouldn't do this for anyone but you, Applefur...," he mewed to himself, as he padded towards the group of Gathering cats. He was surprised when he noticed that alongside the RiverClan and WindClan scents, he scented ShadowClan. He stopped with one paw still hanging in the air, wondering if a ShadowClan cat or two had come for the "raid" as well.

He let out a sigh, and settled himself down beside the pale brown RiverClan cat that he knew went by the name of Cinnamonfur. The young warrior had been speaking to a snowy she-cat, but as soon as Blackshadow sat down Cinnamonfur whipped his head to face him. "Oh, look, a ThunderClan cat." Cinnamonfur meowed thoughtfully, his yellow eyes glinting in the moonlight. "Now there's a cat from every Clan here."

Blackshadow thought that he heard the white she-cat that Cinnamonfur had been conversing with hiss softly, "A cat from every Clan, except StarClan..." Blackshadow guessed she was referring to how what Timidstar had organized was a complete insult to the Warrior Code. Blackshadow couldn't help but agree with her, and respect her for holding strong to her beliefs. _At least _some_ cat is. _

But Cinnamonfur's statement did confirm Blackshadow's suspicions that a ShadowClan cat was there too. "...I guess so. But...who from ShadowClan is here?"

"ShadowClan?" Cinnamonfur echoed while swiping is tongue around his jaws. "Stripedtalon and Marshclaw. I think Speedtail invited them..." Blackshadow knew that Speedtail was the other RiverClan cat who had come along with Thorntail and Cinnamonfur.

Cinnamonfur rose to his full height, and seemed to be trying to look at something over Blackshadow's shoulder. "What happened to your she-cat friend that was with you a few moments ago? She was really pretty. I was hoping she'd stay."

At first, Blackshadow felt flushed with pride that other toms were impressed by his choice for a mate, but then he felt overwhelmed with rage. Applefur was his mate, after all! No other toms were allowed to look at her! Especially not eager RiverClan toms! He used all of his self control to keep his fur from bristling. He had to pretend that he was there for the same reason Cinnamonfur was: To take a WindClan she-cat, mate with her, and go home. If they thought that he already had a mate, then there would be quite a few questions...

Cinnamonfur seemed to sense his anger. "What's wrong with you? Is she your mate, or something?"

Oh, if only Cinnamonfur knew that Applefur was his mate alright! And the mother of his kits! But Blackshadow was able to calmly say, "No...She's just my sister."

"Ew!"

Blackshadow turned his head to see who had made the noise, and saw Thorntail staring at him through wide sapphire eyes, pressing himself close to the blue-gray she-cat he was sitting beside who Blackshadow recognized as Timidstar. "Ew!" Thorntail repeated, wrinkling his nose.

Blackshadow flattened his ears against his head. He hadn't really thought that Thorntail would be listening. "'Ew' what?"

"Applefur's your _sister_?!" Thorntail gasped in clear mock-disgust. Thorntail knew as well as Blackshadow that Applefur shared no close blood relation with him. "Ew!"

Timidstar stared at the RiverClan cat curiously, her eyes shadowed with curiosity. "What's so disgusting about that, Thorny?" _Thorny?! _

"Applefur had Blackshadow's kits six moons ago..."

"It was _three_ moons ago!" Blackshadow corrected without thinking. However, all this did was make every single cat look at him through horrified eyes. Blackshadow shifted uncomfortably. "Okay, she's my mate..." he admitted.

He was greeted by a furious hiss from a jet-black tomcat who smelled of ShadowClan. The ShadowClan warrior glanced uneasily at Timidstar, and mewed, "I thought you said whatever happens in the WindClan camp would _stay _in the WindClan camp!"

"I did, Marshclaw," Timidstar meowed giving him a curt nod, "but I don't see how one tom being disloyal to his mate will jeopardize any of your reputations in your own Clans..."

"But it does!" Cinnamonfur cried leaping to his paws. "If he has a mate, why is he here? Just to spy, that's all! He'll tell all our Clan leaders what we're doing here, and then they'll claw off our ears!"

Blackshadow searched his mind quickly. He was no good at lying! He usually stuck to the warrior code himself, and helped _others_ break it – and that was usually just because Applefur told him to! Very rarely did he have to use his tongue to tell cold, loathsome, lies... But... "Applefur and I had a fight," he admitted, feeling a river of guilt wash over him. "I decided to use our separation to my advantage, and..._ explore_ a little."

This seemed to settle every cats' suspicions, and they all went about their business. Though, Blackshadow did notice that Thorntail kept looking up from the robin he was eating to stare at him.

Blackshadow took the opportunity, and padded closer to his friend. So Timidstar – who was concentrating on her rabbit now – wouldn't hear him, he meowed softly, "Are you sure you're alright with this?"

Thorntail looked at him, confusion clouding the blue sky of his eyes. "Alright with what?"

Blackshadow wondered if the gray tom was just pretending to be confused, or was a genuine mouse-brain. "With Rosethorn...you're going to let it end like _this?"_ He flicked his tail at the cats around them. "You're not going to have any regrets or...or...anything?"

Thorntail looked down at his paws and was silent for a few moments. Finally, he meowed, "I'd be lying if I said I had no regrets. Do I regret getting so close to a really nice she-cat, only to leave her brokenhearted? Yes. Do I regret not murdering Flamesoul when I had the chance? Yes. But..." Thorntail let out a sigh. "But, I think that there's a problem with the whole relationship thing in general. Blackshadow, it was my first time I was devoted to a she-cat like I was with Rosethorn. And I think I was just so interested in her because she was so hard to get...I feel bad saying it," he admitted, "but Rosethorn and I were bound to end up like this. We weren't destined to be together. The End."

Thorntail turned his attention away from the gaping Blackshadow, and gave it all instead to Timidstar who piped up: "Thorntail, I always see you eating robins. When I pass you on border patrols, you usually have a robin in your jaws, and I always hear you talking about them at Gatherings...why do you like robins so much?"

Thorntail looked mischievously at her. "I like the taste. And they feel really good going down my throat – they're my favorite kind of fresh kill."

"Are they?" Timidstar asked, pressing her flank so close to Thorntail's that their pelts of gray and blue mingled together. "Why don't you try my rabbit – you might like it better."

"I usually don't like rabbits. Their taste is far too strong and lingers in your mouth forever..."

"Maybe those are just RiverClan rabbits," Timidstar pointed out. "WindClan rabbits are much tastier, and more fit. Try mine." She then used a delicate forepaw to nudge her prey that she had been nibbling on towards the gray warrior.

Thorntail shrugged his broad shoulders, and obeyed Timidstar. He took a single bite out of the rabbit's side, but instantly swung his head into the air, his nose wrinkled with distaste. "I'll stick with my robin," he meowed politely.

This made Timidstar let out a purr of amusement, before she too took a bite from her prey and then stared down at it in disgust. "Oh...there's something wrong with this..." the Clan leader meowed softly.

Thorntail was on his paws in an instant. "I'll get you a new one," he promised. But Timidstar stopped him by place her tail on his shoulder.

"Don't, this is fine," she meowed, taking a single nibblet from the Thorntail's bird's wing. Blackshadow half-expected Thorntail to protest, but the half-ShadowClan half-RiverClan warrior just stared thoughtfully at Timidstar, before he rasped his tongue along the WindClan leader's ear.

Blackshadow, remembering Applefur's request, was about to say something to somehow ruin the cute moment that the two cats were exchanging, but before he could, Timidstar leapt to her paws. "I have to go make dirt," she announced. To Thorntail, she meowed, "Excuse me," before she padded off.

Thorntail watched her go, not tearing his gaze from the she-cat's pelt, before he rose to his paws as well. "It's contagious...," he murmured. "I have to go make dirt too..."

The gray tom slipped off.

Blackshadow watched them go, the tip of his tail twitching. Soon, he felt a soft rumble in his tummy, and an odd feeling that a mouse was jumping around like a rabbit in his stomach. "Thorntail's right – it _is_ contagious. I have to make dirt too..." He slowly got up, and glanced nervously at a few WindClan cats. "Where exactly do I do that?" In ThunderClan, there was a spot behind every den, but he didn't know how things went in the WindClan camp where there were no dens to speak of - besides the ones hidden in the gorse as nurseries and elder's dens.

The ivory-furred she-cat from earlier stood up. "I'll show you," she offered cheerfully. She turned away, and flicked her tail for him to follow her. Blackshadow did so, and she soon led him to a dug out hole underneath the gorse wall.

"In there," she murmured, glancing at the sky uneasily, as if worried how much time had gone by. Blackshadow did so too, and noticed that though a lot of time seemed to have passed by, the full moon still hadn't drowned beneath the earth.

"Thanks," Blackshadow meowed curtly, slipping inside. He wrinkled his nose at the fowl scent, and instead let his mind wander. He was surprised that Thorntail hadn't run off with Timidstar and mated with her yet. Maybe he was losing some of his talent. Or maybe it was just that Timidstar was a Clan leader, and was maybe harder to crack... That was the one thing that amazed Blackshadow. Thorntail was actually padding after a leader of another Clan – and he seemed to be winning her over quite easily. She had shown open interest when she took some of his robin – and when she tried to share her rabbit with him. In fact, Timidstar seemed more excited than Thorntail...

Blackshadow buried his dirt, and slipped out of the hole. He noticed that the white WindClan cat was still patiently waiting for him. Blackshadow recalled her earlier comment about StarClan not being with them, and he guessed that she was uncomfortable with Timidstar's fight for leadership...if one could call it fighting. "Thanks...uh..." he wanted to say her name, but he didn't recognize her at all.

"Skyclaw," she informed him. "I received my warrior name the other night. Timidstar announced it at the Gathering."

"Skyclaw," Blackshadow meowed, eyeing her pure white pelt. He had always thought that a cat that carried the name 'Skyclaw' would have a pelt that was blue like the sky, not white like snow. Maybe the 'sky' in her name was referring to a cloudy sky? He shrugged. It wasn't his business where she had gotten her name. "Thanks for showing me where to make dirt – though...I wonder where Timidstar and Thorntail went to make theirs..." He hadn't scented them in the hole...

Skyclaw shrugged her shoulders, and began to lead him back to the group. Blackshadow followed her, curiosity adding a bounce to his step. He was surprised to find the other cats pacing back and forth letting out furious hisses when he returned.

Blackshadow recognized the brown tabby Rabbitfur growl, "I can't _believe _Timidstar!"

"I never thought I'd be betrayed by my Clan leader!" agreed another WindClan she-cat that Blackshadow didn't know.

Cinnamonfur's fur was bristling, and Blackshadow noticed that the RiverClan warrior was digging his claws into the earth beneath him. To his companion, a golden tabby that smelled of ShadowClan, the RiverClan warrior hissed: "The piece of fox-dung stole Timidstar, the most impressive she-cat here!"

Blackshadow's eyes rounded in horror, as his escort, Skyclaw stiffened and gasped, "You mean those two ran off?!"

"How long does it take to make dirt?!" Rabbitfur flared, swiping her claws in the air. "You and that Thunder-monster are back already!" Blackshadow guessed that 'Thunder-monster' was a term for a ThunderClan cat, just as River-rat was one for RiverClan. "And they didn't go towards where we usually go to make rain and dirt," Rabbitfur continued. "At first we all thought that they were going to go in the space outside of camp, but it certainly wouldn't take this long!"

Blackshadow felt his fur bristle with rage. Timidstar and Thorntail had snuck off! And what were they sneaking off to do?! Things! _Bad things!_ Against-the-warrior-code-things! Against-the-warrior-code-things that if they did, Applefur wouldn't give Blackshadow his reward!

And Blackshadow was pretty sure he knew what that reward was, and against all his level-headed instincts, he wanted it!

Blackshadow guessed that the other cats were mad because, as Cinnamonfur said, Timidstar was the most impressive she-cat in WindClan. Probably most of the tomcats had come for the soul reason to try and take her – she was an unusually young leader, having been made one just three moons after she received her warrior name. And as for Thorntail...most of the WindClan she-cats had probably been interested in him more than any of the others. Blackshadow didn't know the appeal, but almost every female seemed to swoon for the gray tom.

Blackshadow weighed the possibilities in his head. He couldn't very well stop Thorntail from doing anything with Timidstar. He wasn't Thorntail's Clan leader, or superior, or even Clanmate. As much as he had enjoyed seeing Rosethorn and Thorntail so happy together, he couldn't change what was in their hearts.

He rose to his paws. It was pointless to stay in the WindClan camp any longer – especially since over half the cats had already followed the Clan leader and RiverClan warrior and had run off to some place private. It was time to go home.

_Thorn...Gray_

"Rosethorn!"

The medicine cat nearly jumped out of her fur when the call rang in her ears. She turned her head fearfully, cursing herself for being discovered already. She cringed, when she saw that she had been spotted by the RiverClan cat she had met at the Gathering: Tawnyleaf. She expected the warrior to chase her off of the territory, but the she-cat's eyes were soft as she meowed, "Rosethorn, you should probably start heading back home before dawn. A patrol might find you."

Rosethorn stared blankly at her for a few heartbeats. Why was...Tawnyleaf being so nice? They hadn't exactly bonded at the Gathering. Shouldn't a warrior chase a trespasser out of their territory – or at least question the reason that they were there?

She decided it best not to question Tawnyleaf's generosity. "Thank you," she meowed sincerely. "I'll make sure I make it out of the territory before they find me."

Tawnyleaf dipped her head, before she bounded away, leaving Rosethorn still very confused. Why had the RiverClan she-cat gone out of her way to remind her that life was still going on in the forest – and patrols were still being sent out – even though she and Thorntail had padded in separate directions.

Rosethorn recalled the words she had said to Tawnyleaf: 'I'll make sure I make it...' sure, there had been something that came after those words but that wasn't the point. Make sure she made it...Make sure they made it...

Thorntail's words rang in her head: _I mean...what's the point of us struggling together? ... _

If Thorntail didn't want to return to her...

"I wonder if _we'll _still make it," she murmured.

_Thorn...Gray_

Blackshadow flattened his ears to his head in disgust, as he glanced within the Badger's Set. He had scented Thorntail, so instinctively he had peeked into it without thinking – now he regretted it.

He hadn't caught Timidstar and Thorntail entwined, but he could tell that they had _just_ finished their fun and games. A tiny triangle of twilight-light was sneaking into the set from the top, and it lit up the blue and gray pelts that the two cats shared, and it revealed two cats lying beside one another on a tiny blood-stained bed of moss. Both cats were viciously grooming their ruffled and ragged pelts that had got that way from a forbidden union.

Blackshadow slowly began to back away awkwardly, relieved that neither of the cats had noticed him but knowing full well that his luck wouldn't last forever. But still, he could hear Timidstar's soft, playful mew from within. "Thorntail, want to go hunting?"

Thorntail's voice was scarcely audible, and he was speaking as if he was an apprentice that had just been caught breaking the warrior code by his mentor – why was that?. "No, thank you."

"Oh, okay..." Timidstar meowed, sounding slightly disappointed. A little happier, she purred, "If you ever want to try this again, just come into WindClan territory – tell my patrols that I _asked_ for you."

"I'll do that," came Thorntail's answer.

Blackshadow squeaked, and looked wildly about for a bit of coverage on the moors when he noticed Timidstar clambering out of the Badger's set. Finding none, Blackshadow just pressed himself down to the earth, hoping that the dark shadows of the retreating night would camouflage his black pelt.

The WindClan leader's sapphire eyes flicked about, as if she was purposely looking for a spy, but finally she seemed to let her guard down, and gave her blue chest fur a couple of quick licks, before she padded off. Blackshadow watched her go, the tip of his tail twitching curiously. She had organized this whole thing just so she could regain her leadership, but in the end, she had taken a cat as a mate herself. She was far to immature for a Clan leader...

But, that was WindClan's problem, not ThunderClan's. Assured that Timidstar was long gone, he rose to his paws and took a step to go home, but he was stopped by a threatening hiss behind him. He snapped his head, and cringed when he saw Thorntail staring at him through narrowed azure eyes.

"Did Applefur send you to spy on me?"

Blackshadow blinked. Yes, Applefur had sent him to spy, but Blackshadow hadn't been trying to spy on him when he was with Timidstar – that had been a complete accident. He scrambled for an answer, finally meowing, "I was watching out for you two – to make sure that no cat would disturb your privacy."

Thorntail just stared at him, his eyes darkened with doubt, his tail swishing in the breeze.

"She sent me," Blackshadow admitted. "But I know...that I can't control what you do, or who you're with." As Blackshadow spoke, Thorntail started to shuffle his paws, as if embarrassed by something. Deciding not to ask what was bothering him, Blackshadow went on, "But I hope next time you'll consider Rosethorn's feelings... I know it's over for you, but she still holds onto a false hope that you'll find your way back into her life. Please, when you do things like this, don't let Rosethorn catch wind of them. I would rather her not hurt anymore than she already is..."

Thorntail's eyes dug into Blackshadow's, and he half-expected the gray tom to hiss something about his not caring how hurt Rosethorn was, but instead he growled, "'Don't let Rosethorn catch wind of them?'" He echoed Blackshadow's words. "Catch wind of what?"

Blackshadow stared at him in horror. Didn't he know?! "You and Timidstar..." he began, but Thorntail cut him off with a flick of his tail.

Thorntail's voice was scarcely audible. "Me and Timidstar...what? Look, I don't want Rosethorn to know anymore than you do. I don't want Rosethorn to know that I took a beautiful she-cat of WindClan to a private place...but ended up not doing anything with her." As if that settled the matter, he calmly began to wash his ears.

Blackshadow felt rage flow through him. He had saw Thorntail and Timidstar! They had mated! He was lying – Blackshadow knew he was lying!

Before Blackshadow could call him on it, Thorntail continued. "I never would've thought," he sighed, "that I, the beast, the warrior that lived on the gifts she-cats give instead of fresh-kill, couldn't do anything when the time came."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say..." Thorntail shifted uncomfortably, "that the Clan of warriors that live within me decided to not follow orders tonight."

Blackshadow's mouth dropped open. "But...but...I saw you two...on the moss...and the ruffled pelts...and...and..."

"We had ruffled pelts," Thorntail agreed. "Probably because we _tried_. But Timidstar and I didn't mate. There is no chance of kits, and there was no pleasure on either side, and there was no official mating – all because of my little, disobedient warriors..."

Blackshadow just stared at the RiverClan warrior, not sure what to say. Thorntail was right. Timidstar and him didn't mate. All they had really done was physically get close to one another... As relieved as he was for his two she-cat friends, Blackshadow still had to fight to keep himself from purring in amusement. But still, the purr was eminent in his voice as he asked, "Was Timidstar mad?"

Thorntail padded to Blackshadow's side, his blue eyes glowing with amusement. "No, she wasn't," he answered. "I lied and said that my mother has a terrible sickness and is going to die soon...And_ that _was why I couldn't mate with her."

Blackshadow purred, as did Thorntail. Between the purrs though, the gray tomcat mewed, "To happen at such a young age...this is a disaster! Great StarClan, Duststar is far more seasons my elder, but he's still having kits with Drizzlestep!"

Blackshadow stopped his purr short. Was Thorntail really wondering why his 'little warriors' weren't working? "Well..." he drawled. "Maybe even though you say you're done with Rosethorn, maybe you're really not. As much as your mind tries to deny it, your body still knows that its owner loves Rosethorn – and is only going to accept _her_."

Thorntail lowered his gaze to his paws, and seemed to be thinking deeply. Finally, he meowed, "Everyone's so lucky." He raised his gaze to Silverpelt, which was slowly starting to disappear from the sky. "You saw everyone today, Blackshadow. Everyone was so lovey-dovey, and affectionate...brushing pelts, giving each other licks on the ears, having fun..." Thorntail took in a breath. "But to Rosethorn, it's violence."

Blackshadow just calmly listened, as Thorntail went on. "What am I going to do?" The gray warrior murmured. "You're right...I really do miss Rosethorn." Thorntail curled his lips into a snarl, and glared at some enemy that Blackshadow couldn't see as he continued, "My head is filled with Rosethorn. I've been trying to chase her away with my friends like Tawnyleaf and Cinnamonfur, and herbs like catnip and poppy seeds...and cats like Timidstar. But still, she won't leave. Every time I close my eyes, I see her... Every time I prick my ears, I hear her. Her sweet scent is eternally dancing around me...and her soft, silky fur is under my paws wherever I step... Instead of having nightmares about Graywhisker's death, I've been having them about Rosethorn and Flamesoul..."

"That's what none of us can understand!" Blackshadow burst out. "Not me, not Applefur...not anybody! If...if you still care about her so much...why are you just giving up? I mean..." Blackshadow stared helplessly at Thorntail. "There's...there's...there's got to be a way to solve this problem. You two conquered so many tragedies – why can't you handle one more?"

Thorntail wrapped his tail tightly around his paws. "I'm not the one who gave up," he growled. "It's Rosethorn who did..." Thorntail's voice cracked with emotion, as he went on, "The problem with Rosethorn and me... isn't as simple as it seems. The most...basic problem being with her...is...the lack of trust."

Thorntail shuddered at something Blackshadow couldn't name, before he continued. "Why'd she choose to live under the shadow of violence?" The RiverClan cat mumbled, half to himself. "I've wondered about that for a long time. And the answer's simple, even though it really hurts..." Thorntail dug his blue gaze into Blackshadow's amber. "She doesn't believe we have a future together."

Blackshadow opened his mouth to defend his medicine cat...but how could he? Everything Thorntail said was true – and could be proven based on the many things Rosethorn had said throughout the moons. _Loving him is like reaching out for the sun in the sky! _Rosethorn had said once she and Thorntail were fairly far in their relationship. _All I can do is bask in its light – but I can never reach it! And soon the sun will set, and the moon will rise, and it's all over. _

And even though Rosethorn seemed to be doing her best to get Thorntail back now, something that was in her eyes back at FourTrees told Blackshadow that she didn't really believe that she'd ever get her tom back. It was true. She _wanted_ a future with him, but she didn't believe it would happen.

So, the ThunderClan tom decided to change the subject. "Applefur was worried about Rosethorn, so she wanted me to find out some information on Flamesoul – from all the Clans. So I asked around..." Blackshadow saw Thorntail's eyes light up with interest, so he decided to go on. Even though he had no doubt that Thorntail would be just as angry about the results as he was. "What surprised me...is that...besides his 'running off with a loner she-cat' – which now Streamstar claims never happened – his reputation couldn't be better. In fact, it's disgustingly good." Blackshadow paused, trying to recount all the facts in his head. "He trained as a warrior, first. They said that when he was a warrior apprentice, he was hopelessly in love with a she-cat named Scarletstripe, who was a ThunderClan warrior at the time. I heard that Scarletstripe had a pelt as red as a rose, with eyes as blue as the flowing river...She wasn't pretty, but had this pure aura that attracted cats to her."

Thorntail stiffened, and stared at Blackshadow in horror. "That sounds like Rosethorn..."

Blackshadow nodded. "Scarletstripe was Crimsonspirit's sister, littermate, and best friend – according to some of my Clanmates... Crimsonspirit was Rosethorn's father...that makes Scarletstripe and Rosethorn blood kin. But as much as young Flamesoul lusted after Scarletstripe, she felt no feelings towards him. In fact, she only thought that his longing for her was cute. After all, he was still just an apprentice..."

Blackshadow took in a breath. This was taking longer than he had thought. "Anyways," he continued, "eventually, Scarletstripe became a victim to a deadly outbreak of Greencough, and went to join StarClan... Flamesoul blamed the medicine cat at the time – Ambertail – for her death... and decided that she wasn't fit to heal the Clan. To him, she had let the one cat he loved, die. Since he no longer had a cat to love as a mate, and since he felt that he could do better as a healer, he became her apprentice. And apparently things were always tense between them, and it was obvious they despised one another, but even so, he earned his full name and Ambertail died at a ripe old age."

Blackshadow continued, "Apparently he helped out all the Clans. Remember the Scarlet Flowers – the ones that caused The Blood? Apparently WindClan broke out with the disease when Flamesoul had just received his warrior name. Their medicine cat got sick, and he took it upon himself to find out what was wrong. It was him who discovered that the spores of the Scarlet Flowers were the cause, and it was he who found the cure growing on the territory long before Rosethorn ever did. He saved all of WindClan... And the stories ShadowClan and...your Clan tell about him, are more or less the same. He helped heal RiverClan after the Father-daughter massacre and..."

Blackshadow trailed off when he saw Thorntail stiffen. He himself didn't know what the Father-Daughter Massacre was, or why it had such a terrible, uncreative name, but he did know from his questions that Thorntail was around the correct age to have seen the massacre himself. Whatever it was, it seemed to still haunt the gray cat because an open shiver ran down the RiverClan warrior's spine.

"And as for ShadowClan..." Blackshadow stumbled to regain his footing, "they wouldn't say exactly what he did for them – everything's top secret with ShadowClan - but they _did _acknowledge that they were in his debt. His overall reputation is that he's a warm, friendly medicine cat – who occasionally breaks the Warrior Code, but it's always to help others – like the three instances with the other Clans. He hadn't been given any orders to help WindClan, RiverClan, or ShadowClan, I know that much..." Blackshadow shuddered as he continued, "Everyone thinks that he was a kind mentor to Rosethorn and that they shared a close bond. They say that he helped her with her grief of her father's death, and guided her strongly in the ways of StarClan. All in all," Blackshadow began to finish, "he's considered an honest, respectable medicine cat. As for all the wrongs he committed in the shadows..." Blackshadow shrugged helplessly, "nobody knows of them."

Blackshadow expected for Thorntail to go on some long, angry rant about his hatred of Flamesoul right then and there, but the tom was staring calmly at the earth in silence. When he did speak, his voice was icily calm. "And here is where the main problem I have with the forest comes in." Thorntail was digging his claws into the ground. "If you walk in the light, and_ look_ like you're good and kind, and _act_ like you're good and kind... then everyone _thinks _that you're good and kind. But when you finally let the truth slip and you fall into darkness...everyone thinks that it was just some fluke and jumps to give you a second chance. So..." Thorntail's eyes clouded with some emotion Blackshadow couldn't name as he went on, "So...Rosethorn...and Rosethorn's mother... chose to accept Flamesoul into the Clan once more. And why not? He's a loyal, kind medicine cat who just made one mistake." Thorntail let out a soft growl. "And me? I'm just a loose, violent, rash mouse-brain who takes the unrealistic dream of being a Clan deputy as my hope for the future."

Blackshadow looked doubtfully at Thorntail. He certainly never acted like he wanted to be deputy anymore. In fact, Blackshadow had thought that he had completely given up on that dream; he hadn't mentioned it in so long... And it would never happen. Thorntail had just rejoined RiverClan – no cat would ever trust him to carry such a high-ranking position. And they shouldn't either...

"You don't believe me," Thorntail mused eyeing him carefully. "Why couldn't I be deputy, Blackshadow? Is it because I break the warrior code? Because I have trouble finding a Clan to be fully loyal to? Every cat has the same problem. You saw today – so many cats came to WindClan for the soul reason of mating. But they are going to pretend it never happened, and never mention it again. Like I said: They are going to walk in the light, and _act _good. They aren't any better than I. Every cat has secrets that they never speak of, and wrongs that they committed... The only difference between me and them is I openly scream to the heavens who and what I am – while they hide away... But..." Thorntail let out a soft hiss of fury. "But because I show my true colors to any cat who asks and am truly honest with the world about who and what I am they shrink away and call me a traitor... I guess you're right. Who would trust me? Who'd believe that I am going to make sure that my name is remembered for generations to come? And who would know..." Blackshadow didn't understand full what Thorntail was saying – the gray tom was repeating himself and talking in circles, but he tried to grasp the concepts.

Thorntail's sapphire eyes glittered as he went on, "And who would know that I've already made a home for Rosethorn in my heart?"

Thorntail came to his paws, and padded away from Blackshadow by a few tail-lengths, his blue eyes staring in the direction of ThunderClan territory. "I'd thought Rosethorn would know..." he breathed. "But, in the end..." he trailed off.

Blackshadow leapt to his paws, and rushed to Thorntail's side. "Why can't you just keep trying?" he asked. "No...no matter what other cats think about Flamesoul, what's important is you and Rosethorn...There's no such things as normal values anymore, anyways." Thorntail wouldn't meet his eyes, but still Blackshadow pressed on. "The most precious values...are in each other's hearts. Thorntail, if even you of all cats can't protect Rosethorn...then what is she going to do?"

Thorntail let out a sigh. "_Now_ you help me make sense of everything... Blackshadow, it's too late for me and Rosethorn now. She's probably lost all hope and is at the ThunderClan camp..."

Blackshadow recalled that he never told Thorntail where Rosethorn stood on the recent change of events. "No...Thorntail, she's waiting for you on the border between WindClan and RiverClan."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

Blackshadow ignored him. "But...I believe she was only waiting until dawn – I think she said something about that before we left the Gathering. She might already be..." Blackshadow trailed off; when he noticed that Thorntail had already escaped for Rosethorn.

Blackshadow let out a purr of amusement, turning to go back home. "Those two are _always_ running after each other in a mad dash..."

_Thorn...Gray_

Thorntail safely crossed the scent markers, his pelt prickling with unease. Why didn't Blackshadow tell him about Rosethorn in the _first_ place? Okay, if Blackshadow had told him in the first place he wouldn't have gone after Rosethorn yet...but what about the fourth or fifth place?

He glanced around uneasily. The scents of clashing WindClan and RiverClan scents danced around him – but that was to be expected. What wasn't expected was Rosethorn's sweet scent...

He looked around. Where was she? He glanced at the sky, cringing when he realized that dawn had long-since come. She could've very easily gone back to her camp by now...

He let out a sigh, and fell onto his haunches. He finally realized that he had made a mistake, and Rosethorn was gone... He probably wouldn't see her again until he snuck into the next Gathering, and there, he wouldn't be able to speak freely – some cats could overhear. This had been his last chance to set things right between them, and he had blown it. Of course...

"Thorntail?" his ears pricked as a soft, warm rumble entered his ears.

He glanced over his shoulder, his heart pounding with relief when he saw Rosethorn delicately picking her way towards him.

"I...I thought you'd be back at the ThunderClan camp..." Thorntail meowed, not knowing what else to say.

Rosethorn's blue eyes lit up when he spoke to her. She was the only cat in the forest that did that...who seemed to get such joy just from seeing him. Her scarlet pelt seemed to capture the rising sun within its hairs and began to sparkle, as she meowed honestly, "I probably would be...but I fell asleep. Your pawsteps woke me up..."

"Mouse-brain." Thorntail growled, not knowing what else to say. He looked guiltily into her sapphire eyes. How could she still look at him like that, with such joy, after everything he had done to her? He had left her at the mercy of Flamesoul – and still she could look past all his flaws?

He stared at her carefully. Her burning scarlet pelt seemed to dance around him like a flame...her pale blue eyes were burning into his... He could just picture himself mounting onto her...and... He flushed underneath his fur with guilt. He was thinking like...like...

"In your heart...are all toms the same?" Thorntail blurted out without thinking. Rosethorn looked down at her paws, and Thorntail was pretty sure he knew the answer to the question, but still, he decided to continue. "I mean...me and Flamesoul aren't that different, are we? We're both pieces of fox-dung who want nothing more than to penetrate you...right?"

Rosethorn slowly lifted her gaze from her scarlet paws. Her eyes clouded, and her mouth moved soundlessly as if she was struggling to find the correct words. Then the clouds parted, and her eyes grew clear. "Thorntail," she meowed, her voice sounding like the wind between the leaves. "Thorntail," she repeated, "you were the first tom that I allowed to be alone with me, since Flamesoul."

Thorntail stared at her in awe. That meant that... she had trusted him not to force himself on her before she had trusted any other cat...

Rosethorn continued, "And...and remember when we went up to the Owl Tree together, and you wrapped yourself around me, snaked your tail around mine, with our pelts mingling?" he questioned. "My...my heart had never beaten so fast before... Even though I had already had a mate before you..." she shuddered openly, but her voice was still crisp and strong, "I'd never felt that way about anyone before... It was you. So I felt safe." She was half-sobbing now, and seemed to be having trouble speaking. "It was you, so I anticipated, and loved every single heartbeat of when you were wrapped around me... And it's because of your existence... that I...I had the courage to allow the tom that haunts my dreams back into the Clan. I...I was afraid you'd get sick, or injured, and I wouldn't be able to cure you...I didn't want to lose you! The thought of Flamesoul...was much less terrifying than the thought of you dying.. And remember how I used to act around my Clanmates? I never thought that I was worthy to speak to them...so I didn't... But...I started to cherish myself, and realize that I do have a right to share tongues with them...because of you. You set me free, Thorntail...it was you."

Thorntail just stared at her, not sure what to say. How...how could she feel all these things about him? Great StarClan, he was never even supposed to be born! He had done so many terrible things to her...yet she always came padding back towards him... She knew that he had driven his brother to suicide...and he had thrown her to Flamesoul and then turned tail and ran to the safety of RiverClan as fast as he could, and still she looked at him with that love in her eyes?

Not knowing what else to do, he snaked his gray tail around her scarlet one. She let out a purr, and he returned it, before he meowed, "I...I always thought licking a cat's ear was just a greeting...but when I licked you...and whenever I was with you...I always felt like I was doing something bad...and I felt really excited. It was the first time I'd ever felt that way..." She pressed her muzzle into his side, and sure enough, he got a jolt of excitement rush through him.

"But...Rosethorn...I'm not the type of tomcat who can protect you and heal all of your wounds...That's a reason I thought we should be apart... I...I have my pride too, you know. It's hard, knowing what Flamesoul did to you and not being able to do anything to make the pain go away. And then Flamesoul rejoined the Clan..." he shook his head violently. "If he did anything again, I wouldn't be able to protect you! He's a medicine cat, I'm a warrior...the Clan would side with him...And it would be impossible for me to just stand around and do nothing – that's why I felt it would be best if we separated. That was my fox-dung theory, anyway... But it was even harder being apart..."

"'It _was_ even harder being apart?'" Rosethorn echoed her voice scarcely audible. "Does...does that mean..."

"If you'll take me back."

Rosethorn's sapphire eyes glittered, and Thorntail guessed that his was to as an emotion that he hadn't felt for awhile flooded through him. "But...but...wait..." she murmured. "...You're in RiverClan...and I'm in ThunderClan..."

Thorntail clenched his teeth together. She was right. He was a RiverClan cat now – he had left ThunderClan. He couldn't go back there now...he doubted they would be as forgiving and accepting as RiverClan had been... Besides, besides all the anxieties over Rosethorn, he liked RiverClan better. "Well...I guess our forbidden love just got more forbidden."

Rosethorn purred, and Thorntail did as well. It was going to be hard, he knew that. But...in a way, he could protect her from Flamesoul easier this way. He was an enemy warrior. He could find some excuse to murder another Clan's medicine cat, if he tried hard enough... And though the last...day and a half...had been agonizing without her, it would be easier now, knowing that technically they were together again.

Thorntail sighed. He wanted to tell himself that they would technically be mates again...but technically they weren't. They would never be mates in the truest sense of the word, because of Rosethorn's still-intense fear...

He chased that thought away, and just enjoyed Rosethorn's warm scent wafting around him, her silky fur brushing against his, and her shimmering sky-blue eyes.

* * *

**Review, you get a Timidstar plushie...**

**Anyways... uh...I guess that's all there is to say, except 'Yay!' **

**-Flamesoul peeks into Roxie's Computer Room-**

**Flamesoul: Um...where did I go? I haven't been in the story, in like, ever... **

**Roxie: Go away! **

**-Silverleaf, Applefur and Shadenight come in- **

**Silverleaf: And where did _I _go? Flamesoul can't talk - at least he's still being _mentioned!..._I just like, disappeared...**

**Shadenight: And what about my crush on Thorntail? Did that just end?**

**Applefur: Shut up you two. She probably won't _ever_ put you two back in: Roxie's the Queen of Loose Ends. Sort of like my kits STILL THINK THAT THEIR FATHER IS THORNTAIL! I doubt that will ever be tied up...**

**Roxie: Silverleaf, you do come back. Shadenight, I think I should've killed you off when I had the chance...and Applefur... This isn't a fairy tale. Not everyone is going to have their happy ending... Why don't you wait for the developements with your kits?**

**Applefur: -is reading last chapter of third story- HEY! How could you do that to poor Thorntail?!**

**Roxie: -grabs chapter- Shut up. In fact, EVERYONE shut up! And get out of this room! I need to work on the next chapter! **

**-Silverleaf, Applefur. Shadenight, and Flamesoul start shuffling out- **

**Roxie: Flamesoul, get back in here. You're needed for the next chapter! **

**Flamesoul: Oh...what do I do? **

**Roxie: Rosethorn is going to creep you out. In fact, so is Ebonypaw...And Applefur is probably going to scare you too... Unless I end up not writing a filler...**

**Flamesoul: Oh...that sounds like - wait, _what_?!**

**Roxie: Oh, don't worry, you get to creep out Rosethorn tenfold by the end of this story. And Applefur... oh, Applefur... Anyways, prepare for the last filler chapter, people! Then comes the juicy stuff... Unless...I don't write the filler chapter, and just skip onto the juicy stuff... Hrm. **

**Mmmm. Juice. **


	27. Chapter 26

**-laughs nervously- Well, look at that! I'm alive! YIPPEE! Sorry for the long update, guys! I started school, and things got hectic...plus I'm lazy. Hrm. Anyways everyone, guess what! Go on! Guess! This chapter is 21 pages long. I'll give you a moment to faint, and curse my name to the heavens for making a fanfiction chapter so frickin' long...**

**-silence-**

**Done? Good. Anyways, no, I was not spending the long wait writing the 21 pages. It probably took me a few hours to write this chapter (hence the reason it isn't as well...good as the others.) Okay, everyone: I ended up doing the filler! But it isn't the filler I promised...Flamesoul doesn't get creeped out. That filler chapter would've offered nothing to the plot. This one does! I get to shamelessly reference myself by my username (read what Blackshadow says, and you'll understand why...), I get to reveal how many times Applefur murdered Streamstar (you'll see what I mean), I get to have some (hopefully) funny scenes with Cinnamonfur, Thorntail, and Tawnyleaf as they go on an adventure... Yeah, pretty much I made this chapter up as I went...erm... but it does have some important points in it! It does! It does! I swear! Ravenfeather and Thorntail have a spur-of-the-moment talk that I decided to put in for no reason, and stuff happens! YAY STUFF! I hope you enjoy! **

**Now! To reply to reviews:**

**Mapleleaf- So many reviews you left! -huggles- Anyways, yes. I do have some pets! Well, a pet! I have a rabbit named Cinnamon! Cinnamonfur is based on him...though Cinnamon isn't nearly as horny as Cinnamonfur. **

**Glitterpool - Welcome to the story! Glad that you're here! Though, I do wish that you hadn't read Every Rose Has Its Thorns. It embarasses me so... -sighs- Alwell! Every new reviwer gets a welcome basket! Here you go! -gives welcome basket- **

**Spottedmoon - This one is almost over. Three chapters at the most...unless I have a sudden urge to write another badly-written filler...hrm...**

**Flamesoul221- Thanks!**

**Flamepelt's Wrath - Sorry, you don't get to see Flamesoul freaked out. Pretty much the plot of the other filler was that Ebonypaw was going to get her warrior name, and suddenly realize that she was going to need some cat to think that they were the father of her kits, so she starts to pad after random toms. One of them happens to be Flamesoul. (Flamesoul quote from unused filler: "Ebony[warrior name stop giving me good - I, I mean _bad _ideas!") And Rosethorn was going to follow a certain cat's advice, and try to be friendly towards Flamesoul, as much as it hurts. She tries, but...well, she seems like she's almost on a sugar-high, thus creeping Flamesoul out. Uh...it was scrapped, because a few cats were acting OOC, and I wanted to keep this story on track. Kinda...so, yeah. **

**Oceanwind - Ah, you'll have to read the third story to find out. **

**Swanfeather - -laughs evilly - **

**xX-Secrets-Xx- Hrm... I had Ebonypaw say that "you have to brush OFF my training" as in you brush dust off a rock or something... People around me say brush OFF all the time... Maybe it's better grammar to say brush UP, but...-shrugs- Ebonypaw can use bad grammar, right? lol. Well, thanks for the tip! Very few people actually help me with that sort of thing! -gives cookie-**

**FenixGurl Ice or Icewing - Yes, I do have names for the kits to be born. Thanks, though! **

**Peachfoot - Sorry I annoyed you. But it was just there to creep everyone out - as it did. Everyone's wondering what will happen in the last chapter of the last story. -shifty eyes- It's all in my storyplan... **

**Watersoul of the Star Walkers - NO! You don't get juice until the next chapter! Hopefully...**

**Daklotles85 - Do cats in other Clans ever really pay attention to what cat is who's mate? I don't think they seem to... -shrugs- I don't know. **

**Skysong-Brooksilver- I don't know WHY you want to put a mustache on your Timidstar plushie...but go ahead.**

**lmblovesmilk - Thanks for the song! -gives cookie- It does seem to fit them! I also noticed that the song 'Easier to Run' by Linkin Park seems to fit with Thorntail... Maybe I should do what I did with the Every Rose Has Its Thorns Rewrite and put the lyrics under the allegiances... -shrugs-**

**Squirrelflightlover- I think you're the only person to notice that Marshclaw was going to the "raid" on the WindClan camp. -gives cookie-**

**Pearl.H.Sweden - Thanks for the review WOOT!**

**Strangefur - Did you review? -looks around curiously- I'm...I'm not sure. Oh, wait! Found your review! Anyways, yes they are back together. But we don't physically SEE them together in this chapter. Anyways, you have to correct my typos. -shakes fist into the air- Only two of my reviewers ever help me with this sort of thing! You, and the awesome xX-Secrets-Xx. So...please help! Plz? **

**I'm sorry if I didn't reply to your review: -sniffle- It's getting late, and I don't have time. Maybe I'll export it and put up some new replies tomorrow...Anyways...Guess what everyone? I did some math, and according to that, every single chapter has OVER 20 reviews. -gasp- I'm so happy! Thank you to all my loyal reviewers! WOOT!**

**Oh, and I dedicate this chapter to Mapleleaf, because of her insane reviewing, I got my butt into gear. She left like, a million, every single one of them telling me to update. YAY!**

**Oh, and I apologize for this chapter. -blinks- I'm disappointed with it -especially the conversation between Ravenfeather and Thorntail (the main plot thingy that happens here... ) Seems rushed in places...but... yeah. FORGIVE ME! **

**Enjoy,**

* * *

The just-risen sun warmed the queen's cherry-colored pelt as she daintily stepped out of the nursery. Applefur tried to blink the grogginess out of her eyes as her six kits bounded out of the nursery behind her, squealing with delight. The noise pounded through Applefur's ears, and she felt like some cat was digging their claws into her forehead. As much as she wanted to scold them for being so...well, annoying, Applefur just watched them curiously, amazed that they could be so filled with energy after just waking up. 

_But...they didn't have to run to the WindClan camp and back last night, _Applefur reminded herself, curling her tail as she remembered. Her paws still ached from the journey she had made the night before. Going to the WindClan camp from ThunderClan territory usually took a full day or so... Applefur had done it in less then one night.

Some maternal instinct of uneasiness rushed through Applefur for reasons she didn't understand. She glanced uneasily at her – and Spottedstar's – kits.

Iriskit (also known as the spawn of evil) was busy batting her snowy white paws against Blazekit's flame-colored flank. Applefur's son's amber eyes were alight with delight as he twisted around to give his "sister" a quick nip. Sometimes it disturbed Applefur how close her son was getting to Spottedstar's only daughter.

Applefur shifted her sapphire gaze away from them, and turned it onto her ebony-furred son, Nightkit, who was toddling over to Sandpelt's daughter, Robinkit – who had just flown out of the nursery. The little black tuft of fur seemed to be trying to get Robinkit to play-fight with him, but she didn't seem interested in the least, and muttered something about becoming a queen as fast as she could.

Applefur turned glanced away from Nightkit. It didn't seem like he was the kit that was supposed to be worrying her right now... Applefur noticed Petalkit, her daughter, tumble over her own paws as she attempted to launch herself at Hollowkit. Sandpelt, who had been watching the two kits from about a tail-length away, stepped back to give them room.

_Iriskit, Hollowkit, Petalkit, Nightkit, Blazekit... _Applefur's eyes darted about as she searched for her last kitten. _Where's Baykit? _

Applefur cursed underneath her breath. She had just woken up, and had already lost a daughter! She was about to screech Baykit's name but snapped her jaws shut when she felt a pelt brush against hers. She turned her head to see Dusktail settle herself down beside her, the other queen's yellow eyes staring joyously at her own two kits, Cloverkit and Bramblekit.

"Dusktail..." Applefur meowed carefully, not taking her eyes off of the five kits that were in her vision, lest they run off, "have you seen Baykit anywhere?"

Dusktail didn't take her eyes off of her kits. "Huh? Oh..." Dusktail's eyes flicked around, before she shrugged her shoulders helplessly.

Applefur dug her claws into the earth. Why couldn't Baykit just entertain herself by clawing her littermate's ears off like every other kitten?! Why did she have to explore?

A voice in Applefur's head roared with rage as she thought of the other possibility: Baykit had been stolen. Not by an enemy-spy that would force Baykit to be a warrior of another Clan when she became four moons old – no. That would be _forgivable _- but from the young elder of ThunderClan, the former deputy, Swiftfoot.

"Dusktail, watch my kits." Applefur rose to her paws, cringing as a jolt of pain shot through her. All she wanted to do was relax after her journey the day before – but _no_. Swiftfoot had to go around stealing kits! When she found him StarClan would have a new warrior to add to their ranks!

Applefur didn't budge a kitten-step as she let her eyes scan the camp for either Swiftfoot, or the annoying little kitten that should have her name changed to _Bothersome_kit. She saw Streamstar pacing back and forth by the HighRock, with Flamesoul and Twilightfur watching her from a short distance away. Beakclaw was sunning himself nearby, with Aquamist gently running her tongue along his ears. Gingerpaw was bounding around her mentor, Shrewtail, chattering her head off about training. But no Baykit. Or Swiftfoot.

Fury bristling off of every hair of her pelt, Applefur swarmed towards the hollowed out tree that was the elder's den, flinching with pain every time her paws touched the ground.

She was relieved when her trek across the camp had ended, and she was left peeking into the elder's den. She curled her lips into a snarl, when she saw that Swiftfoot had, in fact, stolen Baykit.

The former deputy had his tail wrapped firmly around the little white-and-ginger ball of fur that was Baykit. She was looking up at him through wide eyes, as she listened to the piece of mouse-dung story he was telling.

"And that's when the great Swiftfoot, deputy of TigerClan murdered his evil, vial, disgusting, ugly leader Streakstar – who ate kittens because his head was big, and he had bad eyesight so he thought that they were all kittypets... Yeah, sure, let's go with that."

Applefur opened her mouth to call for Baykit, but before she could, she felt a tail-tip lay on her shoulder. She whirled around to see Blackshadow staring at her through wide, curious amber eyes. "Good morning," he purred, giving her a quick lick on the ear.

Applefur stepped out of the elder's den before either her daughter or the single-elder ThunderClan had could notice her, and turned towards her mate. "Can you believe that story Swiftfoot's telling our daughter? He's trying to tell that one story about Swiftcloud of TigerClan, but he changed 'Swiftcloud' to 'Swift_foot_'...He's shamelessly referencing himself in the story!"

Blackshadow let out a purr of amusement. "Probably because he's such a popular storyteller, he knows he can get away with almost anything. You know, sort of like T-Roxie-I."

Applefur snorted, and blatantly ignored the shameless plug. "He won't be so popular if he keeps sticking himself into stories like that...Besides, it takes him so long to finish just one!" She started to enter the den once more, with the full intent to rip Baykit out of Swiftfoot's grasp if she had to, but she stopped when she heard Streamstar let out a yowl.

"Blackshadow! Get your tail over here before I _rip_ it off!"

Applefur twisted her head and looked curiously at her mate. What had Blackshadow done? Apparently Blackshadow was as clueless as she, because he blinked in surprise, and just stood rigid, as if he wasn't completely sure that Streamstar had called for him or not.

Streamstar's second yowl echoed through the camp. "Are you _deaf_? Need to retire, Blackshadow?!"

Applefur turned her full body around, and stood beside her mate as they both stared blankly at the angry white-furred creature standing by the HighRock. "Blackshadow," Applefur meowed carefully, "did you do something wrong?"

Blackshadow's amber eyes were wide with surprise and didn't move at all as he had them fixed firmly on Streamstar. His voice was scarcely a whisper as he meowed, "No, I don't think I did..." He shook himself, his sleek black pelt capturing some of the sunlight above as he continued, "But she seems mad. I'm going to go see what she needs..."

"I'll come with you," Applefur offered instantly, forgetting about Baykit in an instant. "You'll need me there to purr hysterically when she claws your eyes out."

Blackshadow pinned her down with a scathing amber gaze, before he leapt to his paws and began to pad towards his Clan leader. Applefur followed him, her mind bouncing around with the possibilities of why Streamstar was so angry. Streamstar was usually very cheerful, and was rather slow to anger. Maybe...the ThunderClan leader had gotten herself stuck in a tree again and Blackshadow didn't help her out. That happened to Applefur once – Streamstar had been _furious_ at her. But long ago every warrior in the Clan had gotten together in the warrior's den, and had decided that if they kept helping their leader out of trees, she would never learn to not climb trees that she couldn't get out of.

Or maybe Blackshadow had eaten the last magpie in the fresh-kill pile. Another thing Applefur had done once. She had just narrowly escaped with both of her ears that time.

Or the other possibility: When Blackshadow had been giving himself a bath, he had washed his right forepaw before his left. Streamstar had a_ strict_ policy when it came to the order one washed their paws in. One had to bathe like a ThunderClan cat, not a random loner who freely washed any paw in any order they wished! Applefur shivered, as she recalled the rage Streamstar had unleashed upon her when the white she-cat had caught her cleaning her back paws before her front!

As they neared the HighRock and Streamstar, Applefur noticed that quite a few other cats were gathered around the Clan leader as well. Twilightfur and Flamesoul still, from earlier, along with the Clan deputy Sandpelt, Morninglight, Shrewtail, and Gingerpaw.

Applefur glanced at the ThunderClan leader. Streamstar's azure eyes weren't flashing blue flames as they often did when she was angry. Instead the white cat's eyes were darkened with shadows of worry. But though anger wasn't evident in her eyes, Streamstar's voice was sprinkled with rage as she growled, "Blackshadow! You're a ThunderClan warrior!"

Applefur blinked in surprise, and instantly left Blackshadow's side to hide behind Flamesoul. As much as she disliked the medicine cat for what he had done to Rosethorn, no cat could deny that he was very big and hid her from Streamstar's view perfectly. If Streamstar was mad at Blackshadow for just being a warrior of his birth Clan, then there was no cat that would be spared from her fury. Unless they hid...

Peeking out from behind Flamesoul – who occasionally looked at her with confused emerald eyes – Applefur saw her mate staring at Streamstar, flabbergasted. The black tomcat seemed to struggle for words, when finally he just meowed, "_What_?"

"You heard me." Streamstar retorted, the fur on her neck starting to stand on end. "You're a ThunderClan warrior. So I want you to lead a patrol."

Again, Blackshadow just seemed confused...as did Applefur. Why was Streamstar so mad? Clearly, it wasn't at Blackshadow because now that the night-colored tomcat was in her presence, Streamstar was speaking more diplomatically and with a calmer air about her. Though her tail was still lashing, and her fur still bristling.

"Y-you want me to lead a patrol?" Blackshadow asked curiously, his words tentative. Applefur sent silent thanks to StarClan. Her mate knew he was walking on thin ice and that the tiniest misstep could kill him. At least he knew what he was doing. "And...What would you like me to patrol for?"

Streamstar didn't seem to hear him. Her voice was brisk and slightly panicked as she meowed, "You're the best tracker in this Clan...Take Morninglight and...And...Who's the _second _best tracker in this Clan?"

"Twilightfur is," Morninglight meowed helpfully, her pale green eyes flicking towards the former ShadowClan warrior.

"Take Morninglight and Twilightfur." Streamstar ordered. Blackshadow stood before her, his tail-tip twitching as he exhibited his calm personality that he was known for. This seemed to annoy Streamstar to no end; because she dug her thorn-sharp claws into the earth she stood on, and curled her lips into a snarl. "Did you not hear me? Go, take Morninglight and Twilightfur and sniff around the territory until you find her!"

Flamesoul stepped away from Applefur revealing the queen to Streamstar's vision, and padded towards the white leader. "You never told him what he was looking for, Streamstar."

"If he doesn't know, then he is just a mouse-brain!" Streamstar hissed. Seeming to decide that that wasn't truly the case she added in a calmer tone, "Rosethorn. Blackshadow, take this patrol, and find my daughter. Shrewtail, take Gingerpaw and get Aquamist and Beakclaw. You take the Western half of our territory; Blackshadow will take the Eastern..."

"Rosethorn?" Blackshadow echoed. "She's missing?"

"It doesn't seem like she ever came back from the Gathering..." Streamstar meowed helplessly, her mood seeming to change suddenly from raw anger to pure worry.

Applefur exchanged a worried glance with Blackshadow. She knew that Rosethorn had gone after Thorntail after the gathering...but she didn't know how it had gone, or what had happened. Applefur felt her fur prickle with anxiety. Rosethorn hadn't returned yet... Applefur's imagination took hold of her, and she suddenly thought of her friend lying broken and injured in a ditch somewhere, or being savagely ripped apart by foxes, or...or... "She might be stuck in a tree!" Applefur cried out helplessly.

Streamstar met her terrified cerulean gaze with one of her own, and nodded. "We can only hope that she can get back down, Applefur. We can only hope."

"But...wait...," it was Twilightfur who spoke, her blue-gray fur sleek and shiny as if she had just finished washing it. "What's so bad about Rosethorn being stuck in a tree?"

Applefur stared at Twilightfur in horror. _Sometimes it's obvious that Twilightfur earned her warrior name in ShadowClan! How can she be so cold?_

Streamstar gasped at Twilightfur's words, and Applefur did as well even though...now that she thought twice about it, Rosethorn being stuck in a tree wasn't the worst thing that could've happened to her. But Streamstar quickly answered Twilightfur's innocent question with a hiss. "What's so bad about Rosethorn being stuck in a tree?" Streamstar echoed, narrowing her eyes coldly as she regarded her warrior for a few heartbeats. "I get stuck in trees all the time, and _usually _my warriors are quick to help me out of the situation. But, one time they didn't help. I saw _Applefur _staring at me, rolling on her back and purring hysterically while I was stuck on the highest branch of...well, a tree. And then, lightning struck the tree, and I lost a life."

Applefur looked down at her paws guiltily. She hadn't known Streamstar had died when she had refused to help the leader out of the tree... You learn something new every day.

Streamstar stared in horror at Applefur, as if she suddenly realized what she had done. "And...and then there was this other time when Applefur was still an apprentice. Flamesoul had put all the medicine for a disease I had into a magpie so it would be more appealing for me to eat. But then she ate it, and since I didn't have the medicine, I lost _another_ life!"

Applefur shifted uncomfortably. That explained why Streamstar had been so mad at her when she had ate that one magpie...

"And that's not all Applefur did!" Streamstar gasped, her white fur bristling. "When she was giving herself a bath once, she flicked her back paws out behind her, to prepare them for cleaning! I happened to be sitting behind her, and one of her flailing paws had scraped against a wound I had received from a recent battle, and...She opened it! I started to bleed _so_ badly, and then I lost another life!" Streamstar pressed herself close to Flamesoul, and seemed to try to shrink behind him away from the crazed queen that seemed to have a talent for killing her. "Great StarClan! Applefur is slowly killing me!"

A few cats gave Applefur horrified glances, but before the ginger queen could defend herself, Twilightfur flashed a glance at the sky. "To get back to the point, I still don't see why it's so dangerous for Rosethorn to be stuck in a tree. There isn't a single cloud in the sky today. It isn't going to thunder, so she won't get struck by lightning..."

"Quiet you!" Streamstar roared, before adding even more harshly, "Shouldn't you be patrolling?!"

Applefur looked at Streamstar in awe as the leader of ThunderClan starting to screech at her warriors once more. She had never seen Streamstar so worried about Rosethorn before. In fact, Applefur had gotten the impression that Streamstar didn't look at her daughter with any love once she had let Flamesoul rejoin the Clan. But now, seeing Streamstar flustered and panicked and scolding her warriors for no reason other than the fact that they couldn't read her mind – and that one of them was slowly picking off her lives one by one - Applefur suddenly identified with her. She knew what it was like to have no idea where your kits were – and Applefur usually found her little kittens in a matter of moments. Rosethorn had been missing since the night before.

"We should be," Blackshadow agreed with Streamstar's statement, dipping his head to his leader. Applefur noticed that her mate's whiskers were quivering, and she guessed that the black tomcat was just as worried about Rosethorn as she was.

He flicked his tail, and both Morninglight and Twilightfur inched closer to him. His amber eyes flashed over both of them, as if he was unsure whether or not three cats would be enough to cover so much territory, but finally he shrugged his shoulders and started for the gorse tunnel. Applefur watched them go, her heart thudding in her chest.

_StarClan please let Rosethorn be okay... _she prayed.

Applefur's eyes that had been narrowed into slits as she said her prayer instantly grew as wide as full moons as she saw Blackshadow's patrol starting to pad back towards them. Morninglight was padding in front, the tortoiseshell's tail flicking with delight. "We're the best search-patrol _ever_!"

Applefur's ears pricked and she rose to her full height to get a better scope of what was going on. Her heart flooded with relief as she noticed Rosethorn padding calmly – and healthily – alongside Blackshadow as they padded towards the cats by HighRock that had stayed behind.

"She was just coming through the Gorse Tunnel when we went to go looking for her," Blackshadow told Streamstar, as the white she-cat instantly wrapped herself around her daughter and began to furiously lick her ruby-red pelt as if Rosethorn was still just a kit.

"Well, that was easy," Twilightfur sighed, her whiskers twitching with amusement. She turned towards Morninglight, and meowed, "I think I'm going to go hunting with Gingerpaw before I assess your sister. Would you like to come with us?"

Morninglight shrugged her shoulders, and soon the three cats padded off while Shrewtail went away to busy himself with some other matter, leaving just Applefur, her mate, Flamesoul, and the mother and daughter by the HighRock.

"Where were you?" Streamstar growled between licks. "Don't you think the warriors have better things to do then look for the lost medicine cat?"

"It wasn't any trouble at all," Blackshadow defended her. "We didn't even have to leave the camp..."

"And Rosethorn's a full-fledged medicine cat; officially," Flamesoul put in. "Aren't you treating her like a newborn kit?"

Streamstar didn't seem to hear the two toms. "Your Clan Leader asked you a question, Rosethorn. Where were you? You never came back from the Gathering, and I...I thought you might've got stuck in a tree!"

"I'm sorry I worried you," Rosethorn apologized, staring blankly at her mother as she began to rasp her tongue along her flank. "I was-" Rosethorn broke off, and her eyes clouded with confusion. "You thought I might've gotten stuck in a tree?"

"A tree that would get struck by lightning and..." Streamstar shook her head violently, and stopped mid-sentence. "That's not the point. Where were you?"

Rosethorn was silent for a few heartbeats and cocked her head to one side. The medicine cat seemed to struggle for words, when suddenly her eyes lit up as if she remembered something. "Last night was beautiful, with the full moon blazing in the heavens, and Silverpelt spreading all across the sky... I wanted to enjoy it fully, so I didn't want to sleep in a den. I fell asleep under the stars - by SunningRocks." To Applefur, Rosethorn's voice sounded soft and monotone, as if she was saying the words that a cat had ordered her to.

Rosethorn's blue eyes suddenly met Applefur's, and the queen's tail flew into the air with excitement. Rosethorn's eyes were glittering with joy! Rosethorn's blatant lie...it hadn't belonged to her! A cat, more experienced at using his tongue to lie to his superiors and break the warrior could had given her advice! That meant that Rosethorn was successful! Applefur was itching to make her friend tell her every single detail of the meeting with Thorntail, but somehow was able to stay calm and hide her excitement from the cats around her. And

Streamstar started to nose around in Rosethorn's fur, as if her daughter had been gone for several moons instead of just one night, caressing her with hysteric purrs and joyful licks.

However, Streamstar stopped with her nose still in Rosethorn's fur, her blue eyes round with horror. Before any cat could ask what was wrong, Streamstar leapt backwards to stand beside Flamesoul. "You were really at SunningRocks?" Streamstar asked curiously. "Then...why do I smell RiverClan scent on you?" Before Rosethorn could answer, Streamstar swept on, "And _one_ RiverClan cat in particular. Thorntail. Why do I scent Thorntail on you, Rosethorn?"

Applefur grinded her teeth together. Leave it to Streamstar to be worried that her daughter had found happiness...

"So _what_?" Applefur was surprised by Rosethorn's indifference as she swiped her tongue around her jaws. The medicine cat let out a nervous chuckle. "H-He was at the Gathering last night. We talked for awhile there...I...I...I um... spoke to a lot of RiverClan cats, actually. That's probably why you can scent them on my fur." The lie that Rosethorn had created was so terrible that Applefur almost gagged.

"You were rubbing against RiverClan cats at the Gathering, were you?" Streamstar growled, clearly not believing the lie anymore than Applefur did. "That's a terrible lie, Rosethorn. I have half a mind to claw both your ears off – one for your pitiful attempt at a lie, and the other for...for bad things I think you might've done!" Streamstar unsheathed her claws, and arched her back as if she was going to carry out her threat right then and there.

"Great StarClan," Flamesoul purred, laying his tail on Streamstar's shoulder as if that would hold the ThunderClan leader back from murdering her daughter, "we're already ready to kill each other, and the sun is hardly over the horizon yet. I understand your worrying, Streamstar, but Rosethorn is fully grown now." Flamesoul tossed a single glance towards Rosethorn before he turned his attention back to Streamstar. "Rosethorn knows the limits of the Warrior Code. The young cats today have their own idea of how far they can stretch those limits... Your worrying just sounds like mindless nagging to her."

Streamstar's fur lay flat on her body once more, and she gave Flamesoul a curt nod, accepting every word he had said as a non-arguable truth, and then rose to her paws and trotted off without another peep – as if she was an apprentice that had been scolded by her mentor, and not a full-fledged Clan leader who had been given advice from the medicine cat. As if the whole matter had ended, Flamesoul excused himself and stalked away.

Applefur watched him go, suspicion and anger pounding in her brain. Why had Streamstar just backed down so meekly? Applefur didn't want Streamstar to punish Rosethorn anymore than she wanted her tail to fall off, but it still disturbed her how much power Flamesoul had. Just a few words from him, and a clearly furious Streamstar ran off without even another mew. And...Why had Flamesoul defended Rosethorn like that in the first place? She couldn't think of any particular motivation he could have, but for some reason, she couldn't shake the anxiety away. Applefur looked at her medicine cat friend Rosethorn, wondering what she felt on the matter... She didn't even have to ask. Rosethorn was staring at the spot Flamesoul had sat in, her eyes narrowed into slits.

So Applefur wasn't just suspicious over nothing.

But before any cat could bring up any of their opinions, Applefur felt something barrel into her side and in a single heartbeat she was lying on the earth. She stared up at Ebonypaw who was glowering down at her. "You need to train me before Sunhigh, _remember_?!"

Applefur groaned inwardly. The last thing she wanted to do was prance around the Sandy Hollow with Ebonypaw and let the apprentice claw at her side. Applefur felt like her paws were about to fall off as it was!

Blackshadow and Rosethorn seemed to feel the same way, because they gave her sympathetic glances. However, neither of them offered to help. In fact, both of them started to inch away. "I promised Rosethorn that I'd help her see if the poppy seeds worked with her. So...we're probably going to end up going to sleep...right Rosethorn?"

Applefur expected Rosethorn to be honest, but the scarlet cat nodded blankly. "Um...right, Blackshadow."

Blackshadow nodded. "We'll wait eagerly to see Ebonypaw's warrior ceremony!" he purred.

Applefur wasn't going to have any of that! Okay, she had promised Ebonypaw the day before that she would help her out with training. She was almost flattered that Ebonypaw had chosen her to help – that meant that the little black scrap thought that she was the greatest and most fantastic warrior in the entire Clan! Applefur spoke her thought to Ebonypaw, and couldn't help but feel insulted as the night-pelted she-cat's emerald eyes flickered with unease.

"Actually, it was because you're a friend of Rosethorn's, and were the only cat in the Clan who wouldn't run and tell Sandpelt or Twilightfur that I still needed more training..."

Applefur used all of her self-control to hold herself back from murdering Ebonypaw right then and there. She could do that at battle training... But, since Rosethorn and Blackshadow were _so _supportive – by running away - they could help.

"Okay, Ebonypaw," Applefur purred, caressing the apprentice's side with her tail. "Let's go train. All_ four_ of us." She glanced mischievously at her mate and best friend, who both stopped in their tracks.

Training was going to be fun.

_Thorn...Gray_

"Come _on_, Thorntail! You still have the scent of ThunderClan on your fur! You can get away with this!"

Thorntail glanced doubtfully at Tawnyleaf, and then back at the ShadowClan border. His paws itched with the longing to just hop over the scent markers, and go catch Tawnyleaf that frog she seemed to have that craving for, and then get himself one of those ShadowClan robins – they did have the fattest, and juiciest robins, as odd as it seemed. What's more, stealing prey was always much more exhilarating than hunting prey in one's own territory. That warm exhilaration and fear pounding through his body...He loved that feeling! And he needed it now more than ever: Physically couldn't mate with any cat besides Rosethorn, who was afraid of mating...so he was never going to mate again, apparently... so he needed to do _something _to get his blood rushing!

But... the last time he had stolen prey from ShadowClan, it hadn't ended well. In fact, it had caused a bitter dispute between ThunderClan and ShadowClan that was still going on... Not that he really cared about that. The battle had been fun, and it didn't affect him anymore.

But he knew Rosethorn wouldn't approve. The last time he had stolen prey, they had had a fight... Or maybe it had been because of Silverleaf. Thorntail didn't remember. Either way, Rosethorn seemed to believe that cats shouldn't steal prey from other Clans, and even though he doubted she would ever find out...

"Go for it, Thorntail!" Cinnamonfur cried, padding to stand beside him, his yellow eyes glinting. "Technically, it isn't stealing. You're half-ShadowClan, aren't you? You have a _right_ to their prey!"

"_Half_-ShadowClan?" Tawnyleaf echoed, fixing Cinnamonfur with a leaf-green gaze. "His mother was a ShadowClan cat when he was born, wasn't she? So that makes him _full_ ShadowClan."

"But she was _born _in RiverClan. So he has RiverClan blood..."

"Well, whatever way you look at it, he has a right to the ShadowClan prey!" Tawnyleaf growled, nudging Thorntail in the side.

Thorntail shrugged. Since when did giving into the pressure of one's peers ever harm anyone? Besides, Tawnyleaf was right: He could get away with it. He still had a powerful ThunderClan scent lingering on his fur. ShadowClan would think that ThunderClan was stealing the prey and there would be no consequences to RiverClan.But, wait a heartbeat... He knew why Tawnyleaf wanted him to go into the ShadowClan territory: She wanted a frog. But why did Cinnamonfur want him to go into enemy territory? He stepped away from the scent markers, and back onto the neutral territory of FourTrees, instantly suspicious of the pale brown tomcat.

Cinnamonfur seemed to read his mind, because he meowed, "Actually, I want to come with you. If I go first, and you pad over my steps, then it will hide my scent... I'm sort of want to see a ShadowClan she-cat in the sunlight, to see how pretty they are..."

"They're a little husky." Thorntail recalled. "But that's not the point...Cinnamonfur; didn't you get your fill last night in the WindClan camp?"

The brown RiverClan tom shuffled his paws. "No... none of them wanted me..."

"That's because you don't know the right things to do and say to get them interested in you you. I'll show you sometime," Thorntail promised.

He had completely forgotten that Tawnyleaf was there, until she hissed indignantly, "If you two could stop discussing your tactics on wrapping she-cats around your paws for a few moments, we could _all_ go into ShadowClan territory and get our fill on whatever it is we like. Personally, I rolled in a wad of catnip in Blueherb's den earlier, and its scent is currently stuck to my fur...That would hide my self-declared sweet scent. And Cinnamonfur...well, that's his problem. Let's _all_ go!" Tawnyleaf purred leaping into the air. Before she landed back onto the earth, Cinnamonfur let out a yowl of joy, and bounded across the border.

"I'm in ShadowClan territory!" he announced, rolling onto his back in a hearty purr. "The first time in my life, I'm in ShadowClan territory!"

Tawnyleaf was more delicate in crossing the border in that she just padded over it like it wasn't even there. Thorntail bunched his muscles together, and followed more in Cinnamonfur's pawsteps and launched himself over the border. Contrary to popular belief, the land did not instantaneously become marshy once one stepped onto ShadowClan territory, and to Thorntail the ground felt just like RiverClan territory beneath his paws.

Cinnamonfur glanced around uneasily, his excitement of being in enemy territory vanishing in an instant. Thorntail caught the fear scent rising from the tomcat's fur, and he wondered if Cinnamonfur didn't realize that the border to return to the neutral territory for FourTrees was approximately a tail-length away. "I just thought of something," Cinnamonfur growled with an uneasy glance at the sky.

"Congratulations!" Thorntail purred, pressing his muzzle affectionately into his Clanmate's flank. "Is this your first time?"

"Quiet, you!" Cinnamonfur spat, giving Thorntail a fake cuff on the ear. Thorntail slowly backed away from the brown cat, and listened to him as he meowed, "Tawnyleaf, Thorntail...do you two think that sometimes we take the Warrior Code too lightly?"

Tawnyleaf shook her head, and started to pad deeper into ShadowClan territory. "No, of course not...You know, this reminds me of when I had just left my Clan and rank as medicine cat because my belly was filled with kits..."

Thorntail noticed Cinnamonfur's ears prick with interest as his paws led him deeper into the dark territory. "You know, Tawnyleaf, I've been wondering...when you left RiverClan, where did you go?" The brown tomcat's eyes glinted with curiosity as he voiced the question.

Tawnyleaf started to pad deeper into the enemy territory, and didn't answer right away as the two toms followed her. Thorntail couldn't help but notice how the glowing orange sun seemed to have its light trapped in her golden fur, igniting it like a pale flame. Thorntail's pelt prickled and he felt his heart start to pound with excitement as his imagination took wing.

"Carrionplace. So I had my kits in ShadowClan territory," Tawnyleaf finally answered Cinnamonfur's question, knocking Thorntail from his thoughts instantly.

He shook himself guiltily – he was supposed to be loyal to _Rosethorn_! Rosethorn, his mate...who he could never ever in a thousand eternities mate with. He had to have a life of celibacy too, and never again listen to a she-cat's soft purr as he explored her. Never again feel his heart pound so hard that one was forced to imagine that it echoed through the forest. Forbidden to feel that warm pleasure that spread from the tip of his tail to the edge of his nose. _Celibacy._.. If Rosethorn could do it, so could he.

Tawnyleaf twisted her neck and Thorntail suddenly found himself locking his sapphire gaze with her pale emerald. The fur along his spine bristled, and he could just hear the mate-obsessed creature that lived within him screech in his ear to bowl her over, chase Cinnamonfur away, and mate with her, right then and there. His eyes rounded with horror as he felt the back-half of his underbelly sending up spurts of emotions rushing through his body.

"My little warriors!" he cried, lowering his head to peek worriedly at their "camp."

Cinnamonfur came to his flank, and nudge Thorntail affectionately in the side knocking the gray tom over. The other RiverClan cat purred with amusement. "Your little warriors are acting up too?" Cinnamonfur asked curiously, his voice low and quiet so Tawnyleaf wouldn't overhear. "Yeah, mine are going _insane_! She isn't even doing anything...but...wow! She's gorgeous, isn't she? I don't care if she's older than my mother, I want her _so_ bad! Age hasn't affected her at all! With her dainty little paws, long tail, delicately shaped face... And that fur! It's the color of the pelts of the LionClan warriors! I'm surprised she never had kits earlier than she did – she's so impressive!"

Thorntail felt his blood pound through his body. Like Cinnamonfur, he wanted Tawnyleaf too. Of course he wanted to rub his muzzle against her thin frame, merging his purr – among other things – with hers. But unlike Cinnamonfur...he didn't want _Tawnyleaf_! He wanted Rosethorn...who loved him, but he couldn't _have_ Rosethorn because she was too terrified to do what mates liked to do!

All this debating was starting to make Thorntail's head hurt. "You're killing me, Cinnamonfur..." he mewed, flinging his paws into the air as he tried to fight off the instinct that toms carried within them.

He had expected his brown Clanmate to shut up at that, but instead it seemed to have the opposite effect. "Great StarClan, Thorntail! I thought you would be able to control yourself better than this! Tawnyleaf will never be interested in me if she thinks that I'm anything like you...flinging your paws into the air, unable to control your instincts..." Suddenly, Cinnamonfur's eyes rounded as if he had just come up with a brilliant idea. "Oh, I get it! You haven't taken a mate since you came back to RiverClan, huh? Wow...two whole days! You're not used to waiting at all... You need help! Look, you stay here! I'll go find you a she-cat!"

With that, the brown tabby started to run deeper into ShadowClan territory, his paws thudding against the earth as loud as thunder as he howled, "Emergency! Emergency! Help! Help!"

Tawnyleaf watched him go, not even bothering to mask her surprise. "Great StarClan," she breathed, kinking her long tail. "He's making such a racket. I know I came here for a frog and some danger, but this is ridiculous. What's he doing?"

Thorntail was relieved that Tawnyleaf's gaze was still fixed on the RiverClan warrior retreating in the distance, and not on him. It made it much easier to reply in a level voice, "I...I think he ran off to find a she-cat."

"Oh yes, he's never had a mate, yet has he? I suppose a warrior at his age isn't supposed to have their innocence anymore." Tawnyleaf shrugged her shoulders. "He'd get females if it wasn't so blatantly obvious what he wanted. Though the whole Clan knows that Silentsong is interested in him. There are certainly enough RiverClan she-cats for him to pad after...all well."

"He went to find one for me, actually..."

"Did he?" Tawnyleaf's voice dropped into a lower, smoother tone. Slowly, with the sun gleaming against her golden pelt, she turned towards him, her green eyes shimmering like emeralds.

Thorntail flattened his ears against his head, and rose to his paws just to stumble a few paces away from her. A few moons ago, he would have accepted Tawnyleaf's flirtatious motions towards him readily and probably already would have followed through with his instincts. But now, having loyalty to Rosethorn, he had to use all of his strength to dig his claws into the earth and hold his ground. Hoping to distract her momentarily, he meowed. "So...you say you had your kits here, in ShadowClan territory? How...how many did you have?"

"I had two litters..." Tawnyleaf answered, twisting her body about so she could rub the tip of her tail against her chest. "Three in my first, two in my second...So, I had five kits."

"And...How did they die?" Thorntail stuttered out, forcing himself to examine his paws. If he looked at Tawnyleaf too long, she would be able to cast that spell that would force him to mount her. Yes, _force_ him! Tawnyleaf was worse than Flamesoul! ...That was Thorntail's story, and he was sticking to it!

Tawnyleaf's paws worked against the ground beneath her nervously as she growled, "It's...it's sort of hard to keep track of that sort of thing. One was killed by a fox, another got into some poisonous nightshade..." The female let out a soft sigh. "I miss them every day."

"Well, if there's anything I could do to help just ask me." Thorntail meowed, wrapping his tail firmly around his legs to keep them from carrying him to Tawnyleaf to "comfort" her.

"Anything you could do to help?" Tawnyleaf echoed, and Thorntail found himself regretting the promise he had just made as she continued, "How about we make more kits together?"

Before Thorntail could think of a decent retort, the tawny-colored she-cat was covering his cheek with soft, caressing licks. For a few moments, Thorntail allowed her to. Even though it wasn't full-fledged mating, her caresses sent bursts of warmth speeding through his fur. He liked that feeling...he didn't know why, but he felt safe with her even though he was in enemy territory. Like in his fragmented kit-hood memories when his mother would run her soft tongue against his fur, as he drank her milk with Graywhisker at his side...Before his mother died. Long before _Graywhisker _died...Long before he had ever met Rosethorn.

_Rosethorn! _As he recalled her existence, he stepped away from Tawnyleaf, fixing her with an icy glare. As much as he was attracted to her, she wasn't Rosethorn... He loved Rosethorn. The same couldn't be said about Tawnyleaf.

"It's unattractive for the female to stimulate_ it_," he pointed out.

Tawnyleaf looked at him through narrowed eyes, and seemed to be regarding every hair on his pelt. "You find me unattractive?" she asked as a soft breeze ruffled her pelt sending tiny beams of golden light into Thorntail's eyes, momentarily blinding him. Thorntail wanted to answer her question with a 'yes' but he just couldn't. He was fairly good at lying – and had even supplied Rosethorn with a decent one to excuse her absence the night before – but some lies were just too...large for him to pull off. He thought Tawnyleaf was _beautiful_!

The RiverClan cat seemed to know it to, because she started to let out a purr of amusement at his silence. "Of course you don't," she answered for him. "I'm pretty. I know it. You know it. I don't see the problem here..." She trailed off, her eyes thoughtful. "Wait, _yes_ I do," she corrected. She turned her back to him deliberately. "It's because my pelt is golden and not scarlet, and my eyes are green and not blue. It's also because I'm a warrior of RiverClan and not a medicine cat of ThunderClan..."

The sheer physical attraction he had had towards Tawnyleaf a moment ago dissipated in an instant. Tawnyleaf knew about Rosethorn!? How did she...?  
Before he could ask, Tawnyleaf turned back towards him, her voice both scathing and mocking as she mewed, "My...my heart never beat so fast before! Even though I already had a mate before you...I'd never felt that way about anyone before. It was you, so I felt safe. It was you, so I anticipated and loved every single heartbeat of when you were wrapped around me. And it's because of your existence that I had the courage to allow the tom that haunts my dreams back into the Clan. I was afraid you'd get sick, or injured, and I wouldn't be able to cure you...I didn't want to lose you!"

Tawnyleaf ended her quote with a purr of amusement that dug like fangs into Thorntail's heart. Those were Rosethorn's words! Rosethorn loving, endearing words! And Tawnyleaf was throwing them about like they were nothing! Thorntail's fur bristled with rage. Tawnyleaf had overheard them speaking to one another the night before!

"So...what are you going to do now?" Thorntail growled. "Tell the whole of RiverClan that I still have a mate in ThunderClan?"

Tawnyleaf chuckled, and dug her muzzle into her side, as if trying to hide her purrs. "Of course not. What you do is your business. Besides, I've been in Rosethorn's position before – I was still RiverClan's medicine cat when I first had kits...half-ShadowClan kits, mind you. Rosethorn has enough problems without _me_ adding to them. And I'm not going to use this information against you...or Rosethorn." Tawnyleaf added quickly. "Plus, I had the greatest mate that a cat could ask for, once. You would never compare with him. The only reason I just acted the way I did was to see how you would react..."

Rejection. Thorntail blinked curiously at her. The only time he had ever felt rejection before was with Rosethorn. She had constantly run away from him, ignored him...done so many things to stay away from him until she finally started to get close to him. Where every other cat had thrown herself at him, Rosethorn had tried to fly away from him. That was one of the things that had first attracted her to him – she was so different! But, for some reason, Tawnyleaf's rejection didn't make him curious anymore. He almost felt relieved...

Tawnyleaf continued, "But I _am _curious about something."

Relief washed over Thorntail. He supposed he could trust Tawnyleaf – she seemed to spit on the warrior code almost as much as he did. But still, his pelt prickled with unease as he looked into Tawnyleaf's green eyes. Why did the pair of irises send shivers down his spine? They were _so_ familiar...

"Why are you attracted to Rosethorn?"

Tawnyleaf's question almost knocked Thorntail off of his paws. "_What_?"

"You heard me. Why does Rosethorn attract you? She isn't beautiful – and your looks and personality are such that almost any she-cat in the entire forest would commit a murder for you to look at her. Or would've murdered. Shadenight, Icefire, Moonflower, Timidstar, Lightfoot... And in ThunderClan you had Icepelt, Applefur, and Dusktail... All of their looks surpass Rosethorn's. But of them all, you chose the plain one. The uninteresting one. Why?"

Thorntail's limbs shook. Not only did it seem like Tawnyleaf could read his mind – he had just been thinking about how he had liked how Rosethorn had acted differently than every other she-cat – but she was also making him angry too! How dare she insult Rosethorn like that! Rosethorn was the most beautiful cat in the forest! He didn't care what Tawnyleaf said! Rosethorn may not have been as dainty, or have such a sleek pelt as some of the others...But she was easily the most caring and understanding cat there was! "Rosethorn _isn't_ plain," he growled. "And why do you care why I am attracted to her?"

"It's just curious," Tawnyleaf shrugged, "that the most violent cat in the entire forest even bothered with the most peaceful and quiet cat of them all."

"I liked you better when you were flirting with me," Thorntail lied, not bothering to answer her question.

Tawnyleaf blinked. "I won't tread on Rosethorn's territory. But I think I should warn you that-" she was cut off by a brown blur, which rammed into her flank and knocked the former-medicine cat to her side. She glared furiously up at him. "Cinnamonfur, you rotten little..."

"Fine, I'm a mouse-brain, a piece of fox-dung, whatever!" Cinnamonfur cried, glaring furiously at Tawnyleaf. The young warrior started to flick his tail furiously into the air as he growled, "Thorntail, I found a she-cat," Cinnamonfur's eyes were wide and troubled, and his voice almost rose into a wail as he finished, "but she wasn't too happy to see me!"

"Well, what did you think you happen?" Tawnyleaf grunted, rising to her paws. "You're a RiverClan cat on ShadowClan territory! Nobody is going to be happy to see you..."

"Which cat did you find, anyway?" Thorntail asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

Cinnamonfur shifted uncomfortably, his topaz irises flashing from side to side. "Ravenfeather."

"Ravenfeather's the ShadowClan deputy..." Tawnyleaf recalled out loud. "Cinnamonfur, why are you so slow? She's probably out looking for us now with a huge patrol. If I don't get my frog, I'm going to kill you," she curled her lips into a snarl, and Cinnamonfur leapt away from her as if he expected the former medicine cat to carry out her threat right then and there.

"Well, she already had a patrol with her when I found her..." Cinnamonfur murmured. "But a whole patrol of she-cats, so I thought I could bring them all here and me and Thorntail could get our fill. She had Stormpool, Lightfoot, Whitesky, and some apprentice with her...At first must've they thought I was coming with an urgent message from Duststar, because they all looked at me really expectantly...but then I told them that I was looking for a she-cat for my friend...And they got mad. They started to chase me."

"Are they still chasing you now?" Tawnyleaf growled, pricking her ears for sounds of the tromping paws of the enemy.

Cinnamonfur nodded vigorously. "Yes. Yes they are. They were hot on my trail before, but I was able to confuse them by running around in circles for awhile, before coming here. But I don't think that they're that far away..."

"Cinnamonfur, you _mouse-brain_!" Thorntail growled, glaring hatefully down at the young warrior. "Now what are we going to do?"

Cinnamonfur glanced around nervously, before he meowed, "I don't think they'll bother a bunch of dead cats on their territory – they'd probably go back to report it to their leader. So if we all lie here, and pretend to be dead...maybe they'd go home."

"But won't they be able to scent that we're alive?" Tawnyleaf questioned.

"Maybe they won't bother to sniff at us!" Cinnamonfur meowed. "It's our only hope!"

Thorntail exchanged a doubtful glance with Tawnyleaf. Something told him that Cinnamonfur's plan wouldn't work, and that they would be viciously torn to shreds by the ShadowClan patrol. Maybe it was instinct that told him; maybe it was pure common sense.

Though...then again, maybe they wouldn't die. They were three cats, and Cinnamonfur had counted five of ShadowClan. The RiverClan representatives had a fair chance of winning... Thorntail had taken on several warriors at once a few times before, and though he didn't know for sure how skilled Cinnamonfur and Tawnyleaf were at fighting, he doubted that they were meek little mice.

He decided to go along with Cinnamonfur's amusing plan. It would be fun! The gray warrior flopped onto his side and parted his jaws into a silent yowl of agony. He noticed that Tawnyleaf followed his gesture, falling to the earth and becoming eerily still. However, to his surprise, Cinnamonfur just sat on his haunches staring blankly into the distance.

Suddenly the brown cat meowed, "Here they come!"

Thorntail flicked his eyes in the direction that Cinnamonfur was looking, and saw the five ShadowClan cats storming towards them with Ravenfeather in the lead, her muscles rippling under her sleek ebony pelt. On her flank, he recognized the gray cat that was the badly-named Whitesky, along with Stormpool on the opposite side. There were two cats beside even them that Thorntail didn't recognize, but one of them had a black-and-tan pelt, while the other – and apprentice, from her size – was a pretty tortoiseshell.

Thorntail looked at Cinnamonfur, wondering why the brown tabby wasn't following through with his own plan that wouldn't work, and "playing dead." But then his heart lurched, and anger boiled through his veins and Cinnamonfur screeched to the ShadowClan patrol, "_We're dead_!"

At his Clanmate's yowl, the enemy patrol let out furious hisses (probably thinking that he was mocking them) and began to charge towards the RiverClan cats at full speed.

Thorntail leapt to his paws in an instant, curling his lip into a snarl. He hadn't expected the plan to work at all, but he couldn't help but be insulted that he shared a Clan with Cinnamonfur! Cinnamonfur had to be the most idiotic cat he had ever met!

But then, Cinnamonfur proved himself to be even more mouse-brained then Thorntail's had predicted, as the brown tomcat stared at his two Clanmates in surprise. "They didn't believe us!" he gasped. "Maybe it was you two: You didn't say 'we're dead' with me!"

"Dead cats don't say anything at all, mouse-brain!" Thorntail hissed, shaking with fury. "Who was your mentor? A newborn kit?"

Cinnamonfur didn't seem to understand why he was so angry. He blinked twice in confusion before he meowed, "Duststar mentored me. That's a really silly question, Thorntail. Only warriors can mentor cats."

Tawnyleaf thrust her way towards Cinnamonfur, her tail lashing. "I'm not going to get my frog at this rate!" The brown tabby flinched away from her, probably remembering her earlier threat. But before any cat could kill anybody, the ShadowClan patrol came to a halt approximately a fox-length away from the RiverClan cats.

Thorntail turned to face them, as did his two Clanmates. His heart lurched as he looked at them. Great StarClan, he wasn't just looking at Tawnyleaf with different eyes: He was looking at every female in the forest! Every single scrap of beauty each of the ShadowClan females carried on their bodies was magnified tenfold as Thorntail eyed them.

Ravenfeather's jet-black fur had an almost-silver tint, reminding him of the warriors of Silverpelt lying on the night sky. And Whitesky, the gray cat with the bad name, her storm green eyes flashed like lightning in the sky, making Thorntail's heart thump. And Stormpool, with her pale silver pelt, her dainty shoulders flexed out aggressively looked seductive to Thorntail. Then there was the black-and-tan she-cat that he didn't recognize – Lightfoot, probably. Her pelt had a glossy sheen to it that usually only RiverClan cats carried in their coats. And if that wasn't enough, her eyes sparkled like sapphires – oh! Blackshadow was right! He was the pampered kitty_pet_ for any cat who had blue eyes!

Thorntail let a sigh escape him. He was probably the only cat in the forest that could possibly be attracted to cats that wanted to kill him. He looked at the last cat, the apprentice, and was relieved to see that he just felt towards her what he would for any enemy apprentice. She was an annoyance. His little warriors weren't so outraged that they would get excited even for a cat that was hardly more than a kit. _Thank StarClan for that. _

"So this is how it ends," Cinnamonfur sighed. "Savagely torn apart by sinfully beautiful she-cats. I never thought I would join StarClan like this...but I've always sort of _hoped_."

Ravenfeather stepped away from her line of warriors, her lips drawn back into a snarl. "What are you doing on ShadowClan territory?" she challenged.

"Wow," Tawnyleaf gasped. "They actually bothered to ask us this time. I remember one time I came over here, and they just started to attack me without any questions asked. I have more respect for ShadowClan now." The pretty golden she-cat stepped away from Thorntail and Cinnamonfur, slowly starting to inch away. "I'll have to go report how much RiverClan should respect ShadowClan to my leader. Thank you for enlightening me. Good-bye." Tawnyleaf started to streak away, but before she could get far at all Stormpool and Whitesky left their deputy's side and herded her back towards her Clanmates.

"It was a nice try," Thorntail commended her as she settled herself down beside him.

"I believe I asked you a question," Ravenfeather growled. "What are you three doing in ShadowClan territory?"

How would one answer that question? In truth, the three of them had simply been bored, so they decided to go into enemy territory...

"I know what you're going to do!" Cinnamonfur cried out, lashing his tail with horror – or raw happiness. "You are going to make Thorntail and me to mate with you all in turn. Then, in our exhaustion, you'll leave us somewhere to die..." Even as Cinnamonfur spoke of his death, his eyes were alight with joy and anticipation. Despite himself, Thorntail almost wished that his Clanmate's fantasy would be a reality.

"Get your head on the higher plain!" Ravenfeather ordered sharply. "Not every cat in the forest is as sickly obsessed with finding a mate as you are! If you want something like that to happen to you, go to WindClan territory, a find a patrol of _their _easy-going females."

"We have enough toms in ShadowClan to choose from, thank you." Stormpool put in politely.

"Awe..." Cinnamonfur shuffled his paws in discontent.

Ravenfeather started to go on some long tangent about trespassing on their territory, tearing them apart, and boring stuff like that. Thorntail only half-paid attention, but he found himself eyeing Lightfoot very carefully. She didn't look familiar at all. Completely new...unexplored...

Before the thoughts of Rosethorn kicked in, Thorntail was knocked out of his imagination of what it would be like to go "_hunting_" with Lightfoot by a sharp hiss from Ravenfeather. "And _you_, Thorntail, seem to be making ShadowClan your second home."

Thorntail never knew there was such a thing as an anger scent, but as Ravenfeather finished her statement, he could feel it scratching at his scent glands. Though Ravenfeather seemed eerily calm, her patrol of she-cats seemed to find some cue to start to snarl threateningly, and begin to lumber towards the outnumbered RiverClan cats.

Thorntail glanced calmly at them. He had been wondering when the ShadowClan cats would remember that they should probably chase the intruders away. He unsheathed his curved claws, and blinked fondly down at them as they glinted in the sunlight. Soon, they'd be stained with ShadowClan blood. _Oh, goody!_

Out of the corner of his eye, Thorntail noticed Tawnyleaf shaking her rump into the air, her pale green eyes resting firmly onto Stormpool as she prepared to pounce. Cinnamonfur parted his jaws into a fierce snarl. Battle was about to break loose, and a raw feeling of joy started to rush through Thorntail's bloodstream as he set his sights onto the _gray _cat _White_sky (her name still didn't make sense to him.) and searched for her weak point. From the way the gray ShadowClan female's eyes were darting about him, she seemed to be searching for the same thing.

Whitesky sprung towards him, and Thorntail tensed to defend himself, but before any cat could score their claws across their enemy, Ravenfeather seemed to grab the scruff of her Clanmate's neck while she was still in the air, and toss her behind her lithe black body. "I gave no order to attack the intruders," Ravenfeather hissed, spitting some of Whitesky's fur from her mouth.

Stormpool tossed Ravenfeather a furious glance, but said nothing. The young tortoiseshell apprentice opened her mouth to object, but before she could, Lightfoot wrapped her tail around the young cat's mouth. Whitesky, lying in the dust where her deputy had tossed her, muttered some curse words under her breath but that was the brunt of the objection. Thorntail tried not to be amazed at how much respect Ravenfeather had from her Clanmates to keep them from clawing intruders to pieces.

"You gave no order to attack the intruders..." Thorntail mused, looking into Ravenfeather's amber eyes curiously. "Do you want _us_ to attack first?"

The deputy parted her jaws to answer, but before she could, Stormpool took a pawstep forward. "I bet she does," the silver cat agreed. "Here, attack me." The ShadowClan warrior turned to her side, opening herself up for an attack. Clearly, ShadowClan was unusually bored...

"I don't believe we should attack this patrol of RiverClan thieves," Ravenfeather began, twirling her tail in the air.

"We didn't steal anything," Thorntail pointed out. _Yet. _

"We aren't RiverClan thieves!" Tawnyleaf put in. "We are fargendooginsookindoogins. StarClan sent us to bless your territory."

"I know very well what you are," Ravenfeather hissed above the furious growls of her Clanmates who were tossing her mutinous glances. "Especially _you_, dearest Tawnyleaf. Aren't there some kits running about that you have to murder?" Before Thorntail could even feel a jolt of surprise at the peculiar jibe, Ravenfeather went on. "This RiverClan patrol has saved me quite the trip. They've placed Thorntail right into my paws. Stormpool, Whitesky, Lightfoot, Tortoisepaw," she growled. "Escort the tawny one and the dumb one off of our territory. I'll speak to Smokestar's only kit alone."

Though the ShadowClan cats still seemed reluctant and dumbfounded at Ravenfeather's peculiar orders, they silently rounded around Tawnyleaf and Cinnamonfur. The brown tabby tomcat's eyes darted from side to side, and for a few heartbeats he looked hurt. "Hey! I'm _not_ tawny-colored!" Ravenfeather's unmasked and obvious insult had clearly gone over his head.

Thorntail watched the cats leave, disappointment resting on his shoulders heavier than an oak tree. He had been looking forward to clawing at the enemy patrol. He hadn't done any fighting since he had been a ThunderClan cat, fighting against the attack from ShadowClan and that had been...Great StarClan! It had been _two_ days since he had felt cat blood on his claws! And the last time he had taken a she-cat as a mate had been when _Gingerleaf _was still alive! No mating, no bloodshed... He was becoming a kittypet! No, worse than a kittypet! Kittypets still rounded up she-cats! He didn't even do _that _anymore!

Suddenly, he was reminded of Ravenfeather and gave his full attention to the ShadowClan deputy, who was staring at him through narrowed amber eyes. In the back of his mind, Thorntail was wondering why Ravenfeather had been so keen to speak to him, and was slightly insulted at being called on being the piece of fox-dung ShadowClan leader's kit. In the_ front_ of his mind, he was eyeing the deputy's beautiful ebony pelt. He had seen black pelts almost every day, but for some reason, the black pelt wrapped around the muscular shape of Ravenfeather aroused him. The ebony pelt as black as the night sky was owned by a cat with amber eyes that burned with the intense flame of the sun... Great StarClan, why did Ravenfeather have to be so pretty? It was really hard to be loyal to Rosethorn when every single desirable female in the forest was poking her muzzle in his face!

"You're looking at me you're starving and I'm some tasty piece of prey," Ravenfeather murmured softly. Instantly changing the subject, she growled, "When I saw you at the Gathering yesterday, I had thought you had come with ThunderClan...until the _very_ end, when I saw you with so many RiverClan cats... You've rejoined RiverClan, have you?"

Thorntail nodded blankly, not taking his eyes off of her black pelt. He could just picture rasping his tongue along it...

"Is staying loyal to a single Clan_ that_ difficult for you?" Ravenfeather asked curiously. Thorntail had expected her voice to be harsh and scathing, but instead it was kind and thoughtful.

"Get right to the point," Thorntail growled bitterly, jerking his gaze away from Ravenfeather's pelt, and giving focus into her amber eyes. "Why did you send your patrol away just to speak to little 'ol me?"

Ravenfeather shrugged. "I was going to come into RiverClan territory later and seek you out, actually. I'm relieved you came here to be a dirty thief before that was possible." She looked meaningfully into his eyes. "Thorntail, really. Why did you leave ThunderClan?"

"How does this concern ShadowClan?" Thorntail growled, suddenly suspicious. Things weren't adding up correctly. Ravenfeather was acting so peculiar – she was going to go into RiverClan territory to look for him? Was she insane? "Wouldn't ShadowClan be giddy with joy that ThunderClan has one less warrior in their ranks. Makes things much easier for you all to steal that scrap of forest territory on their side of the Thunderpath."

From the look in Ravenfeather's eyes, Thorntail knew that he had guessed ShadowClan's motivations for attacking ThunderClan's border patrols earlier. "And not just any warrior," he continued cruelly, "but the warrior who defeated both you and Smokestar at once in battle."

"Smokestar didn't want to kill you, so he only _defended _himself against your onslaught," Ravenfeather retorted. "I came to help him, but he gave _me_ direct orders not to murder you, and I had no intention of going against his wishes. If I had wanted to, I could have spread your entrails from there to FourTrees." Before Thorntail could reply, Ravenfeather went on. "But the point isn't how much more skilled I am than you. The point is... Why did you join RiverClan?"

"Why do you care?"

"Why did you join RiverClan and not ShadowClan?" Ravenfeather growled, clearly losing her patience. "Smokestar's your father and the only living kin you have left... You couldn't have placed all four paws of your loyalty into RiverClan _yet_. So...your father sent me with a message for you. A..an invitation to join our ranks."

Anger surged through every hair on Thorntail's bristling pelt. Smokestar _wasn't _his father! Smokestar was a piece of fox-dung who was merely a plaything in Lightsnow's scheme to be with her true love – Thorntail's _real_ father! Thorntail's mother had warned him ever since he had opened his eyes how heartless and dangerous Smokestar would be, and how he would hurt him... She had warned him never to trust that piece of fox-dung!

"Never," Thorntail vowed in answer to Ravenfeather's question. "Not after what he did."

Ravenfeather let out a soft hiss. "What did he ever do to you?"

"He made his feeling towards Graywhisker and I clear when he sent us to RiverClan after our mother died," Thorntail answered calmly.

Ravenfeather snorted. "There were reasons behind that...reasons that you would never understand with your inferior mind," she sighed. "So he made one mistake, and allowed you and your brother to be raised in your mother's birth Clan. He made up for that several times over when he allowed Graywhisker and you to rejoin ShadowClan as apprentices – which turned out to be a cheap trick...After three moons you two ran back to RiverClan."

Thorntail stifled a purr at that one. He had been sent away from RiverClan by Duststar briefly, as punishment for attacking a few unsuspecting apprentices...of his own Clan. He wasn't allowed to enter the RiverClan camp for three moons. Graywhisker had joined him in his punishment, for no apparent reason other than the fact that he seemed to want to be with his brother throughout every major event in his life... and they had snuck over to ShadowClan and stayed there for the whole of their punishment, never revealing to their new Clan that they were only using them to sleep in warm dens.

"During that time," Ravenfeather continued, "was Smokestar cruel to you? I remember that time clearly, Thorntail. He _doted _on you. You and Graywhisker both. Graywhisker started to show interest in becoming a medicine cat apprentice under Shadedhope then, and Smokestar was so proud – but advised him to finish his warrior training first, since he was already over half-way finished. And it was_ obvious_ Smokestar was grooming_ you_ to be his deputy one day. He gave you the most skilled warrior in the Clan, Rubyheart, to you as your mentor; he was lenient to you when you rebelled... He loved you; even a half-blind kit could've seen that. It was _you_ who was cruel. You distanced yourself from him, spat at him, rebelled against him, and questioned every single act of kindness he spent on you! And then you actually wondered why he started to favor Graywhisker over you! Graywhisker, who returned Smokestar's love... Graywhisker loved Smokestar as a father, why couldn't you?"

Thorntail narrowed his eyes coldly. It was the fact that Graywhisker had loved Smokestar as a father that had killed him! Graywhisker had been shattered by the realization that the cat he had looked up to and respected had not fathered him...and, in the end, had killed himself. That was just what Thorntail had wanted at the time – that's why he had told Graywhisker the truth in the first place, and had shown him the proof. It was also what Smokestar wanted. Smokestar was so clever... He knew that if he got close enough to Graywhisker, and then stepped away, the little product of his mate's betrayal would disappear. The ShadowClan leader was a coldhearted piece of fox-dung. Or the flies that ate the fox-dung. Or the maggots that the flies placed in the fox-dung.

One of his mother's many warnings rang in his head: '_Your father is a cruel, ruthless, evil tomcat and he despises _you_. Whatever you do, never trust him. The moment you do, he will dig his fangs into your neck and spill your blood. His greatest desire is for you two to just vanish...And his greatest wish is that you would've never been born. I've been protecting him from you with all my strength...but...I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you any longer.'_

"My mother warned me about what he would do. She told me all about him," Thorntail growled, anger starting to make him shake with rage.

"And what would your mother know? You ignore everyone else's advice and orders – why are you listening to your mother's?"

To hear Lightsnow so openly scorned made Thorntail dig his claws into the earth. "My mother was one of the few cats that ever cared about me! I didn't...I didn't get to enjoy her as my mother for long..." he trailed off. Shortly after he had been born, his mother had caught some disease, and had had to stay in the medicine cat's den, away from her two kits. Thorntail and Graywhisker had been suckled by some ShadowClan queen. He hadn't gotten to be with her much, but every once in awhile a cat would take him and his brother to the medicine cat's den to see their dying mother.

"M-my mother didn't get the chance to raise me in the sense that other queens get to raise their kits," Thorntail continued, his voice shaking. "In fact, she only gave Graywhisker and me two pieces of advice, and two orders that we were to follow until we padded to StarClan. She told us to protect each other...because we would never truly belong to any Clan. Not RiverClan, not ShadowClan. No other cat was ever going to look out for us – we had to protect each other! She said that if I ever faltered or failed in watching over Graywhisker...if I ever turned my back on him...I would lose him." Thorntail felt a pang as he spoke, and his legs felt so weak as he thought of how right his mother had been. "She was right about our place in the Clans. And she was right about Graywhisker. The moment I left his side, I _did_ lose him! She was right about that...so she was right about Smokestar too! She knew exactly what he would do! _She knew_!"

"Every cat makes mistakes," Ravenfeather murmured softly. "And that was one of Lightsnow's. The whole of ShadowClan has been wondering why Smokestar and you, as father and son, never seem to acknowledge each other. At first, I thought maybe he had some reason to dislike you and Graywhisker...but he's inviting you into ShadowClan – what more do you need? Him to declare his love for his only living son on the HighRock at a Gathering? You don't have anything in RiverClan – great StarClan, you couldn't have planted your loyalties yet! Join ShadowClan; enjoy your kin while it is still around... ShadowClan would accept their leader's kit – especially if you and Smokestar clawed it into them. Why don't you..." she trailed off, maybe discouraged from the flashing anger in Thorntail's eyes.

"So, ShadowClan was starting to wonder how a father could despise his kit, eh?" Thorntail asked curiously. "So _that's_ why he's inviting me into the Clan. I actually started to wonder. Even ShadowClan starts to think that a cat is just cruel if he despises his only surviving son. Oh, Smokestar is so clever..."

Ravenfeather regarded him for a moment. "You seem rooted to your decision," the deputy murmured softly. She shrugged helplessly. "I don't see how I can possibly change it...but I do think that you should stop running away."

Thorntail stiffened. Blackshadow...Ravenfeather...why did every cat think that he was running away from something? He was _not!_ He was just avoiding Smokestar's vengeance. No doubt the ShadowClan leader would want to harm the kits of Lightsnow in every way possible. She had betrayed him, and used him to get into the Clan to be with her real mate. He would never forgive her, Thorntail's father, or the spawn of the union: Graywhisker and Thorntail. Thorntail could hardly blame him – if Rosethorn did something similar to him, truth be told he would seek revenge as well. But the fact of the matter was: He wasn't going to walk into Smokestar's jaws like a blind rabbit.

"One of these days," Ravenfeather growled lashing her tail, "you are going to have to stand face-to-face with your father and sort this whole mess out. I certainly can't do it: All I am is the messenger. Now that I've given you the message...kindly get out of ShadowClan territory."

Thorntail dipped his head. "Gladly," he growled. He turned away from her, and took a few pawsteps towards the neutral territory of FourTrees, but stopped himself. "So...you're the messenger, Ravenfeather?" he asked, looking at her over his shoulder. "If so, give this message to Smokestar: Tell him to stop trying so hard. We aren't _really _father and son anyways, and I know it."

* * *

**Yes, the conversation between Ravenfeather and Thorntail does have a purpose, and his relationship with his "father" is explored more deeply in the last trilogy. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, and broke a chuckle a few times. And, I hope I made it clear that Thorntail is having trouble living without mating... Now...I think the next chapter...stuff happens. -shifty eyes- I could be wrong. **

**Review, and you get a plushie of T-Roxie-I, who was mentioned in the story! Kidding, I'm kidding... I think I'll make one more shameless reference - just to annoy everyone who is probably contemplating to press the back button and forget this story - but that'll be it. I'm not going to make a habit of it...**

**Seriously though, you don't get a plushie of me. You get a...oh crap, there's no cat to give plushie's out of... oh...how about Whitesky? The gray cat with the bad name? Okay! Review, and you get a Whitesky plushie! **


	28. Chapter 27

**Sorry guys. **

**No plot stuff in this chapter.**

**Oh, stop crying! This chapter is pretty much (another) filler. Here's why:**

**This story is about to come to an end. So, while I have some free space and there are no big conflicts to bother me, I need to use it to...well, remind everyone of the key elements of Every Rose Has Its Thorns. In the third trilogy, Graywhisker's death once again takes center-stage for a time. Well, everything takes center stage for a time - Smokestar, Silverleaf, Tawnyleaf, Streamstar, Flamesoul - but that's not the point. You guys all KNOW what Flamesoul did to Rosethorn, because you keep reading about it again, and again, and again. And Silverleaf was fairly memorable, and most of you have grown a hatred of Streamstar. **

**But Graywhisker has almost been forgotten. I'm sure some of the details slithered away. So, I took this chapter to remind everyone of the details. Because I don't WANT to have a chapter like this in the third-trilogy, in the middle of when...stuff...is happening. I'm sure lots of peeps recalled that Thorntail drove Graywhisker to suicide, but you might've forgotten how he did it... So, here's the reminder! Oh, and yeah, Rosethorn and Thorntail get to talk to each other. Yay.**

**Oh, and since there have been lots of comments on this... This is the order in which Thorntail joined each Clan, and the reasons behind it. Yes, he does have some "consistancy" issues, as he called it. **

**1 - Born in ShadowClan.**

**2 - Smokestar sent Thorntail and Graywhisker to RiverClan to be raised when they were still kits, shortly after their mother died. **

**3 - Thorntail and Graywhisker joined ShadowClan for a wee-bit of time when they were apprentices, to avoid ome punishment from Duststar.**

**4 - Thorntail and Graywhisker go back to RiverClan, because Thorntail hated Smokestar (though Graywhisker _wanted_ to stay in ShadowClan...)**

**5- Thorntail joins ThunderClan. Why? Thorntail quote: "WindClan are stupid, I hate ShadowClan, and if I wanted to be in RiverClan I wouldn't have left." He left RiverClan because his mind was getting all warped there from the memories of his brother's death, and...yeah. **

**6 - Thorntail joins RiverClan. Why? Go back and read some of the chapters, you dunce. **

**Now that I've been very repetitive and said the same thing over and over like fifty times, I can answer reviews! Yay reviews! **

**xx-Secrets-xx - -blushes- thanks for the compliment! Oh, and yes, Whitesky is a funny name. But the previous chapter isn't the first time I've mentioned her. Almost any time ShadowClan is in a scene, she is there, and SOME cat comments on her funny name. Usually Ebonypaw. (She's gone on long tangents about it twice. Once in Every Rose Has Its Thorns, and once in this story when Rosethorn and Ebonypaw were sneaking into WindClan to see Silverleaf.) **

**Dragon-Star155 - I didn't think anyone would like the joke when I mentioned myself! Thanks! Anyways, Silentsong will be appearing a lot more in the last trilogy. All the RiverClan cats will. And ShadowClan... **

**Watersoul the Head Star Walker - No juicy stuff. For the reaons I've stated above. However...the next chapter: No doubt. Juice. **

**spottedmoon- Ah...I can't tell you that. But would you want to um..."mate" after something like that happened to you? Keep in mind, this was Rosethorn's FIRST time. And she was pretty much a kit. And it happened to her "again, and again, and again." But this _is_ a Romance fic... **

**Oceanwind- _Yes_ there's important things at the end of the story! Dramatic stuff, that I hope everyone will like...**

**Starsnow of EveClan - Thank you! Ravenfeather is my favorite deputy - that I created. Russetfur is the greatest EVER, but that's not the point here. **

**Pearl.H.Sweden - -gives plushie to Pearl.H.Sweden's twin- Oh, and thanks for reviewing! -huggles- One of my star reviewers, you are.**

**Flamepelt's Wrath - There's a reason behind Flamesoul's name. Maybe I'll explain it in an author's note sometime. Anyways, Thorntail is mate-crazy right now. But he's so used to having she-cats throw themselves at him, and then all of a sudden he can't have anyone. Poor Thorntail... -huggles- Before he thought that EVENTUALLY he and Rosethorn would um...yeah...but now, he knows that it's a lifetime of celibacy. Heh heh. I like that word.**

**Skysong-Brooksilver - Happy belated birthday! In your review, why don't you put something that Flamesoul and Streamstar could argue about - something completely random, and silly. But keep it within reason - Ie: No arguments about whether Apple or Dell computers are more compitent, and, for the sake of the plot, nothing about Rosethorn. It's my birthday present to you! Not a very good one, but what else can I give you over the internet, ne?**

**lmblovesmilk - Thanks!**

**Strangefur - Thanks for the grammar tip. But you must admit, compared to how my grammar usually is, the previous chapter wasn't THAT bad, yes? **

**Spottedfeather on Hiatus - Thanks!**

**Steeltalon - lol. Thank you!**

**Rabbitstorm - Oh, Thorntail's real father? Thorntail knows, I know, but the reader doesn't get to know yet. Not until the last in the trilogy... Sorry. - **

**Anonymous Reviewer with a Yahoo Address - You're the only reviewer who ever wanted Thorntail to abandon Rosethorn for Tawnyleaf. lol - I think several of my readers would kill you for saying such a thing! But...yeah, Tawnyleaf and Thorntail _do_ sorta click... **

**Peachfoot - You like Ravenfeather? Lots of people seem to... I don't know why. **

**Mapleleaf - Thanks! I'm glad I'm on your favorites:-)**

**Dawnfeather - Eh. I'm not pleased with the end. Anyways, after this chapter...there should just be two more. I think they'll be fairly long chapters...and a lot of stuff is going to happen in them... I hope everyone will like them!**

**Squirrelflightlover - Everyone who reviews gets a Whitesky plushie, silly! -gives plushie-**

**Swanfeather - Actually, we knew why he changes clans every five seconds in the story previous to this one - but I don't expect anybody to remember obscure facts from a fanfic. lol. That's why this chapter is like a flashback-chapter. **

**Goldenfox13 - YIKES! Somebody read the horrid monstrocity that is Every Rose Has Its Thorns! -hides in a box- I'm so embarassed by that... Anyways, as for Whitesky's name... it's a long story why I named her that. But it was mainly for all the jokes that could stem off of it. I mean, it always bugged me that Birchfall is a brown tabby. Isn't birch white? So, I took that weird name, and made one of my own... and on this role-playing site I played on, there was a character with the name Whitesky. For some reason, in my mind, I always pictured this cat as a gray cat. I know. Weird. So things just clicked. YAY CLICKINESS! Oh, and welcome to the story! Here's a welcome basket. -gives basket-**

**Tainted Shadow Water - Thanks for the tip! And thanks for helping me pin that jerk! -huggles-**

**Daklotles85 - Thank you!**

**Glitterpool - I updated! YAY!**

**Wow. That took me awhile. Anyways, to brief for the chapter: As said previously, giant recap, Rosethorn and Thorntail talk to each other - nothing lovey-dovey though. They just saw each other the night before, so... Oh, and seriously though: You will hate this chapter. It's much more boring than the others... But I'll make up for it next chapter.**

**And that's a promise.**

**Enjoy,**

* * *

The sound of the river as the waves hit its banks seemed to call out to Thorntail as the gray RiverClan warrior padded further and further away from ShadowClan territory. Deciding that getting his paws wet and cold might at the same time cool down his temper, he started towards the flowing water in a swift trot. 

Thorntail settled himself from the river in such a way that his reflection was not cast within it – though he wasn't sure if he did this so he wouldn't have the illusion that he was staring straight at his brother, or if it was just so he would have an easier time to catch fish.

Deciding not to dwell on that matter for long, Thorntail dabbed his paw into the liquid, and in a single instant he flung a still-living fish onto the earth with him. He killed it with a quick bite to keep it from escaping. As soon as he had done that, a dwelling disappointment rose up in his chest. His paw was wet. There was yummy-in-his-tummy fish blood in his mouth. All these things should've calmed him down, but still the raw rage was still speeding through his veins.

The nerve of that piece of fox-dung that the forest had declared his 'father'. Thorntail was still settling back into the RiverClan lifestyle, and already Smokestar was moving in to make his life miserable! As if RiverClan didn't have enough doubts about his loyalty, the ShadowClan leader just _had_ to give the illusion that Thorntail might be considering a position among the dark Clan's ranks. Ravenfeather had asked Thorntail specifically to stay in the enemy territory even after his two companions retreated back home – Cinnamonfur would blab _that_ all around the Clan.

Ravenfeather's words rang in his head: _One of these days you are going to have to stand face-to-face with your father and sort this whole mess out. _

Thorntail sighed. He was living in the RiverClan camp, but he still hadn't even said two words to their leader, Duststar... he didn't like confrontations when you couldn't claw the other cat's eyes out. They were so complicated.

But...then again, maybe Ravenfeather's words made sense. Thorntail blinked thoughtfully. He could work something out with Smokestar so that both their lives would be easier – they could somehow formally cut their ties as father and son...maybe through a ceremony of some sort. Thorntail's life would be easier for every cat would stop believing that he had one paw of loyalty in ShadowClan...and Smokestar's life would probably be more relaxed as well, because he wouldn't have to worry about his Clan wondering why there was such a large rift between him and his "son."

Of course, Smokestar may have been able to convince them that he was half-way decent when he had been overly kind to Thorntail and his brother during their short stay as apprentices in ShadowClan. Ravenfeather had been right about a few things: He _had _doted on them. And he had given Thorntail the most decorated ShadowClan warrior, Rubyheart, as his mentor. Most cats would think that Thorntail's hatred towards Smokestar was one-sided because of that fact...but Lightsnow's warning proved otherwise.

'_Your father is a cold, evil, and ruthless tomcat and he despises you. Never trust him. For the moment you do, he will dig his fangs into your neck and spill your blood. His greatest desire is for you to vanish. And his greatest wish is that you two would've never been born. I've been protecting you with all my strength...but I'm afraid, I won't be able to protect you any longer.' _

Before Smokestar could properly take revenge upon the offspring of Lightsnow, he would have to gain their trust. Then he could betray them just the way Lightsnow betrayed him. Smokestar wanted vengeance... but Thorntail certainly wasn't going to allow him to have it. Smokestar had had the privilege to rejoice over the fact that Graywhisker killed himself on the border of ThunderClan and ShadowClan to pay for his mother's sins...but Thorntail was going to make sure he didn't get any pleasure from hearing about Thorntail's death as well.

Thorntail repeated Lightsnow's warning beneath his breath. The words of his mother calmed him, as ominous as they were. "But...I'm afraid, I won't be able to protect you any longer..." he finished, a stone of sorrow weighing down his heart. His mother had known _so_ much. She knew that Graywhisker would die if Thorntail left his side, she knew that Smokestar would seek revenge...and she knew that she was going to die – so the engraved the warning into her son's minds. Though Graywhisker seemed to fancy ignoring his mother's teachings and got all lovey-dovey with Smokestar, Thorntail was going to listen to them.

Now fully assured that he was doing the right thing, and his anger now calmed from digging up some fragmented kittenhood memories, Thorntail realized that his throat was sore. Recalling that he hadn't drunk anything since he had said a bittersweet good-bye to Rosethorn when they returned to their respective camps, Thorntail closed his eyes lowered his head, and lapped up a few drops of water from the river.

He finished up, and without making a conscious decision to do so, he found his eyes straying across the river and at ThunderClan territory. He sniffed the air curiously, and pelt tingled with delight as the sweet scent of Rosethorn wafted into his scent glands.

His eyes flashed about, and when he realized that he couldn't see his mate, disappointment tugged on his pelt. Maybe the wind had blown a scent from somewhere far deeper in the territory Thorntail at one time had called his own. His hopes lifted again when he noticed a clump of green ferns shaking, hinting that there was something behind them.

In a heartbeat, the young medicine cat of ThunderClan leapt through the greenery, and sat neatly on the border of RiverClan and her own territory. Thorntail felt his heart thump hard in his chest at the sight of her. If he had felt lust towards Tawnyleaf and various ShadowClan cats that wanted to kill him, he felt obsessive longing for Rosethorn.

His eyes drank the rose-colored pelt of his desire. He could just imagine pressing his gray fur into hers... She would look like a splash of blood on stone when she was with him. Lots of cats had ginger, sand-colored fur like Tawnyleaf...but only a chosen few carried pure-red pelts.

Thorntail just stared at her, curling and uncurling his tail. Rosethorn had begun to rasp her soft pink tongue along her fur, and hadn't seemed to notice him yet. Thorntail just stared at her, the medicine cat reflecting in the crystal blue pools of his eyes. He noticed none of her faults as he gazed at her longingly. Lustfully. Obsessively.

There were flecks of tawny sand in her pelt. Normally, Thorntail would wrinkle his nose at this, and find the owner of the pelt unappealing in an instant. But...for some reason, Rosethorn was able to pull off having a dirty pelt in ways other cats couldn't. The golden flecks of sand seemed to shine like stars in a crimson sky, dazzling his eyes more than when he had first gazed up at his warrior ancestors as a kit.

Rosethorn paused in her bath long enough to allow herself to stare across the border. As she noticed him, her eyes lit up with joy and she called out his name.

Thorntail pricked his ears. Never before would he have called Rosethorn's voice beautiful. He never would've called it dissatisfying either... but golly lolly, the way the medicine cat's call rang in the air sounded far more like a robin's song than a simple greeting. And best of all, she was calling his name. _His!_

Thorntail returned her greeting, though he wasn't paying enough attention to himself to comprehend what he was saying. But it must've been something friendly, for Rosethorn let out a purr of amusement and kinked her tail as a signal for him to come and see her.

The RiverClan warrior bunched his muscles together to dive into the river and pop out on the other side to meet the dear medicine cat. She was inviting him to see her! When did a she-cat ever demand to see her mate, except when she wanted something? Excitement overwhelming the grain of common sense that Thorntail carried in his mind that told him that Rosethorn probably didn't want to do anything along the lines of mating; the gray tom inched closer to the river.

But before he could dive in, he caught the eye of that dratted reflection of his. Thorntail glared at it hatefully, and it, of course, glared back. Somewhere Thorntail was able to register that he was staring a mirror-image of himself and not his brother, but just as he did not acknowledge the fact that Rosethorn didn't have a one-track mind like he did, he did not acknowledge that fact at that particular instant.

When Graywhisker was alive, to Thorntail the cat with the broad shoulders, blue eyes, and stone-gray fur was always just that – _Graywhisker – _never Thorntail. He never saw himself following after him, being unwarriorlike and weak, quiet, polite...good... He didn't see himself run into a monster on the Thunderpath. It had been Graywhisker...

And therefore, the cat in the water _had_ to be Graywhisker.

It made perfect sense. Perfect sense indeed.

Thorntail looked up from the image Graywhisker, and instead focused his attention on Rosethorn, who had her head cocked to one side in thought. Briefly, Thorntail wondered what she was thinking about. Then it hit him – sliced right down his face like an enemy's claw. This was the first time that Rosethorn had ever seen Graywhisker.

Thorntail's fur bristled as he made the realization. Rosethorn was kind, soft, intelligent, and quiet... So was Graywhisker. She had far more in common with _that _brother...

Thorntail felt his claws slide out. He was cruel, enjoyed the pain of others, mouse-brained, and loud... He couldn't compete with Graywhisker!

_Graywhisker _followed the Warrior Code._ Graywhisker_ showed love and respect for his "father", and followed the orders of his leader and deputy without question. _Graywhisker _was the warrior that every leader wanted – even if he couldn't fight, or catch a fish if it flew into his paws. _Graywhisker_ was smart. _Graywhisker _was noble. _Graywhisker_ was loyal. _Graywhisker _went out of his way to help his Clanmates. _Graywhisker_, even though he wasn't a medicine cat, was already _saving lives_ and curing sickness. _Graywhisker was perfect!_

Thorntail scorned the warrior code. Thorntail despised his father – and rightfully so! Thorntail would disregard most everything his superiors told him to do – and question every single order. Thorntail was the warrior that haunted the nightmares of every Clan leader and deputy in the forest – except for the fact that he was a fierce fighter and one of the greatest hunters that had ever graced the forest with his presence. Thorntail was dumb. Thorntail was selfish. Thorntail was openly disloyal. Thorntail went out of his way to help himself. Thorntail was already raiding enemy camps without orders! _Thorntail was the worst warrior ever! _

Next to Graywhisker, Thorntail looked like some sort of evil villain who murdered kittens for fun! He wouldn't look so terrible if his dear Clanmates would compare him to one of the lesser warriors that wasn't Graywhisker... But since they were _always _together, looked _exactly_ alike, and Graywhisker would never ever ever ever ever ever just _go away... _or leave his brother alone for_ two heartbeats_, they never bothered to look at how Thorntail was less annoying than some other cat!  
Rosethorn would compare them too, now that she saw them next to each other. She would. Thorntail knew she would! And who would she pick? She'd pick the cat that was more like her, that was nobler, that would be able to lick her wounds and look at everything in a sensible way!

Graywhisker was out to steal his mate!

Without thinking, Thorntail lunged towards the furious and slightly-crazed looking Graywhisker. Thorntail was still flying towards the water and his reflection, when that still-sane part of him was able to point out: _Graywhisker's dead._

"Oh, _that's_ right!" was all Thorntail was able to mew before he crashed into the flowing river. Grief and guilt washed over him just as fast as the river did. And even when he used the instinctive RiverClan gift of swimming that he had inherited from his mother and was able to the surface of the water, the grief still remained. Where the river didn't drown him, the guilt did, and he suddenly felt like Graywhisker had just flung himself into the monster's path a day ago instead of those seasons that stretched behind him.

As Thorntail began to swim towards Rosethorn, he felt like the guilt was heavy enough to pull him to the bottom of the river. The memories began to race through his brain once more – memories that he was all-too talented at keeping buried at the back of his mind... When he had discovered that Smokestar wasn't his kin by discovering the 'mating hole' of his two parents... His mother, Lightsnow's stale scent all over it along with another tomcat...who had a scent that was far more similar to Thorntail and his brother's than Smokestar's smell.

As he began to heave himself onto ThunderClan's half of the river, Thorntail recalled sitting in RiverClan's apprentice's den and realizing that when he became a warrior, he would still always be compared with his younger brother. If he wanted to be judged by what he was, and not by how much better his brother was... Graywhisker would have to disappear.

At first, Thorntail had considered driving Graywhisker into ShadowClan – his brother always had a better knack for living as a ShadowClan warrior than a RiverClan one anyway. But... he knew Graywhisker would never do that. Graywhisker, who was always following him around, always with him, never giving his older brother a moment to himself... No. Graywhisker would never leave the Clan his brother had chosen.

That meant that the elder, crueler brother would have to _force_ his brother into a different Clan. And what Clan would make Graywhisker feel more welcome than StarClan?

Thorntail remembered debating on how to kill his dear brother. Drown him, maybe? Sneak some poison into his fresh-kill? Murder him tooth a claw... He had thought to himself that they would all be amusing to see and do, but all of them offered the chance of young Thorntail getting caught.

If Graywhisker killed himself, than no cat besides Graywhisker would be at fault.

But how would one go about driving their brother to suicide? In truth, it hadn't been as hard as most cats would think, Thorntail thought bitterly as he examined his drying paws. He knew everything about Graywhisker. Everything from his favorite food (frogs) to what his ambitions were. What Graywhisker hated what Graywhisker loved.

Graywhisker hated injustice, and things that broke the Warrior Code that he held sacred. One thing that had always bugged Thorntail's brother was how his mother had been born in RiverClan, and yet had joined ShadowClan to be with her mate. It was wrong, in Graywhisker's eyes.

Graywhisker loved Smokestar. His dear father, his kin... Smokestar could do no wrong in Graywhisker's blue eyes. When Thorntail had escaped to ShadowClan to avoid living as a loner for three whole moons, Graywhisker had followed him...as usual. And Graywhisker had somehow developed an unusually close bond to Smokestar.

To destroy Graywhisker, and Thorntail had had to do was take these two beliefs and shake them to their roots. How would Graywhisker cope with the fact that the tom he loved and respected so much wasn't his father at all? How would Graywhisker live with the fact that not only did Lightsnow break the Warrior Code, she broke moral laws as well – mating with a cat that technically, wasn't hers. She betrayed _everyone_... And she almost got away with it, too. In fact, she _would've _gotten away with it, if it wasn't for that meddling Smokestar!

So, all Thornpaw had to do to make his brother disappear forever, was to show him the proof in ShadowClan territory that proved that Smokestar wasn't their blood-related father. Graypaw had certainly looked shocked as he sniffed about. The shock and pain that had glimmered in Graywhisker's eyes had made Thornpaw force himself not to purr at the time, but now, Thorntail felt agony for knowing that he had hurt his brother in such a way.

As if Graywhisker wasn't shocked and hurt enough, Thornpaw had to make sure his brother did just what he wanted. _You see? We aren't the sons of that tom that you love and respect so much. And...Not only were we born outside of the warrior code, brother, but we were born out of the laws of morality. We came into the forest from our mother's infidelity. _

Rosethorn meowed something softly to Thorntail as she began to come towards him, and Thorntail answered with a soft mew, though he still wasn't sure what he said to her.

Thorntail let out a sigh, and briefly touched his nose to hers. He would later discover as a warrior that he wasn't the only cat out to make Graywhisker travel to StarClan. Shadenight, jealous of what seemed to be a brother's unbreakable bond had told Graywhisker that her life would be so much easier if there was only one of the two of them padding around. She had told Graywhisker how wonderful it would be if either he or Thorntail would just go to StarClan and let her live her life with the still-living one.

At the same time, Fishclaw's bullying had escalated to cruel, vicious degrees. And since Graywhisker couldn't defend himself like a good warrior and Thorntail had no longer felt any inclination or desire to watch over his brother, Fishclaw was able to rake his claws around the 'Half-Clan Carrion' as much as he desired.

And even young Owlpelt, one of Graywhisker's closest friends, had begun to get closer to some of the younger apprentices and further away from the gray cat.

Shadenight more or less told him to die. Owlpelt was drifting away. Fishclaw's bullying escalated. And Graywhisker's best and what should've been his most loyal friend, his blood kin, Thorntail, turned his back on him and stopped protecting him from bullies, and then showed Graywhisker unshakable proof that Lightsnow had eyes for only one tomcat in all of ShadowClan – and that cat wasn't Smokestar.

They couldn't have forced him to commit suicide better if they had all got together and had a 'How to make Graywhisker Commit Suicide' Meeting. Every single cat at that time seemed to have – whether purposely or not – in their on way, pushed Graywhisker into the monster. But Thorntail more than all the others. Shadenight was selfish...of course she'd prefer it if only one of the brothers was around – it made her life much less complex. And of course Owlpelt would start to forge friendships with some of the younger apprentices – Graywhisker was going to receive his warrior name soon! Owlpelt needed some fellow-apprentices to band with! And Fishclaw was Fishclaw – he was _expected_ to bully the half-Clan cats. Thorntail, on the other paw, was Graywhisker's closest kin...and was supposed to be his best friend. And he had been the only one who had_ purposely_ gone right for the _jugular_ in killing Graywhisker.

He felt something rest gently on his shoulder. "Thorntail?"

He fell back to the earth, and found himself staring into the cerulean eyes of the ThunderClan medicine cat. Her tail was resting on his shoulder, and Thorntail's pelt prickled with joy as he realized that she was touching him. All thoughts and musings of Graywhisker long past, Thorntail went back to desiring Rosethorn.

Rosethorn narrowed her eyes worriedly. "Thorntail? What's wrong?"

Thorntail struggled for an answer. How could he tell her that he was imagining how good she was at mating? If he did, she would most likely be frightened of him... And he couldn't very well tell her that he was busy feeling guilty over Graywhisker's death – she had already given him her soothing advice and calming words for that matter. And since Flamesoul was in her Clan now, she had enough problems to worry about...

Rosethorn's eyes drifted down towards her pelt. "Oh...is it my fur?" she asked worriedly. "I was in the Sandy Hollow real recently with Blackshadow, Applefur, and Ebonypaw – I actually learned some good fighting moves... Anyways, some flecks of the sand are still in my pelt."

"Yes, it's your fur," Thorntail stuttered out, examining his paws. Normally, he would've been able to come up with a believable lie in a heartbeat, but he felt as weak and honest as a kit when he was with Rosethorn sometimes... To change the subject, he meowed, "So...how are things in ThunderClan?"

Rosethorn almost seemed disappointed from his bland question. "Fine," she answered. "Ebonypaw is probably going to receive her warrior name today, if she passes Sandpelt and Twilightfur's assessment."

Thorntail's ears pricked at that. He had heard that Ebonypaw had switched her class and rank at the gathering, but he hadn't heard any details to as of why. "Why is Ebonypaw training as a warrior, anyways?

"Huh? Oh," Rosethorn hesitated for a moment. "Well...she found herself a mate in ShadowClan, and now her belly is filled with kits..."

"Really? That's nice."

Rosethorn seemed to find his answer hilarious, because she let out a purr of amusement.

"What's so funny?" Thorntail asked, confused.

Rosethorn's purr turned into a chuckle, as she meowed, "I tell you that a ThunderClan Medicine Cat Apprentice has found a mate in ShadowClan and got herself filled with kits, and you say 'that's nice'. You're the only cat in the entire forest who would say something like that!" Rosethorn batted his side playfully with her tail.

Thorntail kinked his own tail in thought. "Yes, that's true," he agreed. "I guess that comes with having a heritage as murky as a swamp," he licked Rosethorn's ear affectionately. The experience, though it was so simple, made every hair on his pelt send small lightning bolts through his body.

Rosethorn purred a little more, before she added only half-jokingly, "You're one of the few cats in the forest who know about that, so try to not tell anyone..."

Thorntail shrugged. It was just another secret to hide away. One of many. He wasn't that surprised that Ebonypaw had found herself a mate anyway. As he had told Blackshadow the night before, he was well aware that every single cat in the forest only _pretended_ to be good, and moral, and follow the rules of a warrior. Every single cat had done wrong, but yet at the same time, every single one condemned others that had broken the warrior code just as much as they had.

To carry on the conversation he meowed, "You say Sandpelt and Twilightfur are going to assess her? I understand why Sandpelt is – she's the deputy – but why is _Twilightfur_ taking on such an important duty? She just joined ThunderClan a few moons ago."

Rosethorn's eyes flashed as if she had just realized that fact, but finally she just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I guess it's because Twilightfur is now one of Streamstar and Sandpelt's closest friends. She's always with them... And she's popular with all the other senior warriors too. _Especially_ Badgerclaw."

Thorntail nodded in understanding. Streamstar was one of the easiest cats to manipulate in the entire forest. Spottedlight had done it to become deputy, Swiftfoot had done it to get Thorntail into the Clan, now Twilightfur was wrapping the leader around her own paw to gain quick acceptance into the Clan. And Flamesoul had manipulated Streamstar to...

Thorntail's fur lay flat on his back as he was able to think seriously about the fire-furred medicine cat of ThunderClan. "...And...How are things with your mentor, Rosethorn?" He knew that Rosethorn would have mentioned anything serious that had happened to him, but he had to hear the right words come from her mouth.

"Everything's fine," Rosethorn assured him. "He...he put a wall of brambles around my nest for me. He wouldn't have an easy time getting to me at night if he wanted to..."

"But_ you_ can get into your nest, can't you?"

"Of course I can. I know how to get in with out getting stung by the thorns – it's hard but-"

"Does _he _know how to get in too?!" Thorntail hissed without thinking. He instantly regretted saying anything about Flamesoul when he saw her blue eyes round with horror as if she hadn't even considered that possibility.

"Never mind..." he meowed hastily. To get Rosethorn's mind off of her nightmare, he mewed quickly, "So you were in the training hollow and learned some fighting techniques? What'd you learn?"

The scarlet she-cat seemed relieved to change the subject. She began talking about how she was able to knock Blackshadow off of his paws, but Thorntail had stopped listening. He felt the raw, brutal, male instinct crawl through his body. He could just imagine rolling around with Rosethorn on a bed of moss. And not just any bed of moss! The moss-nest that he had made for himself and "companions" in a miniature hollow point in the Great Rock at FourTrees – that was the place that, above all, he wanted to take Rosethorn.

He wanted to dig his muzzle into the crevice of her neck-and-back... he wanted to stare into her blue eyes as he padded along that careful line between giving her pain and pleasure...

The thing he wanted most in the forest - more than padding alongside Graywhisker once more, more than becoming a deputy to fix a few of the quirks in the warrior code, more than even seeing the sun rise for the new day – was to make Rosethorn his! His! Not Flamesoul's! Not StarClan's! _His! _But the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Rosethorn. Sadly, his two priorities contradicted one another. He couldn't mate with her – not unless he wanted it to end with her hating him as much as she hated her mentor. Maybe even more, for there is no greater hatred than that of love betrayed.

"...and when Applefur pounced on me and thought she had me pinned, I was able to roll onto my back and kick her so hard – Thorntail, I didn't know I was so strong. I kicked her _clear_ to the other side of the hollow."

Thorntail, suddenly paying attention to his almost-mate, pricked his ears in awe. Applefur was a fierce fighter when she didn't have kits suckling from her stomach. He knew all Rosethorn had done was kick the queen, but he had no idea that the medicine cat's back legs were so powerful. "That's amazing," he meowed honestly, giving Rosethorn a quick lick on the ear.

Rosethorn's eyes glittered at his praise. "Thanks, I -" she broke off as she and the RiverClan warrior both her pawsteps pounding through the undergrowth. Before Thorntail could retreat back into his own territory, the fern in which Rosethorn had hid earlier parted to reveal four cats bearing the scent of ThunderClan.

Thorntail flattened his ears as he recognized them. The cat who stood near center with his teeth bared and his fur bristling was Shrewtail – one of the many cats that disliked Thorntail like their lives depended on it. Beside him, was his apprentice Gingerpaw and the cat that stood shoulder-to-shoulder alongside her, was Beakclaw.

Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head and slowly backed away from her furious Clanmates as if she was the cat in enemy territory, and not her gray mate. Thorntail on the other paw allowed his claws to slide out. A border patrol...? He glanced at the sky. ThunderClan usually sent out patrols during dawn, sun-high, and, occasionally one in the middle of the evening. But the sun was just starting to slither under the earth. It was unusual for a whole patrol of warriors to be patrolling at such a peculiar time – and the RiverClan border, of all borders! It was_ ShadowClan_ who had been inching onto ThunderClan territory...

Thorntail guessed that it was a hunting patrol of some sort, but he quickly changed his thinking as the ferns ruffled once more and a set of flame-colored paws moved stealthily to stand in line beside Beakclaw. The RiverClan warrior raised his gaze from the paws, and couldn't keep back a furious hiss as his blue gaze locked with an emerald-green. He was surprised that he actually had to look up slightly to meet the green gaze as he was used to being the tallest warrior – even in ShadowClan.

Flamesoul's eyes flashed from Rosethorn, to Thorntail in confusion, but he said nothing. Thorntail ignored the questions of the enemy maybe-a-border patrol, and just examined Rosethorn's mentor. A whirlwind of emotions surged through Thorntail, including his vengeful streak which told the stone-colored tom to lunge at the ginger tom and kill him, right then and there. Even though Flamesoul had a fairly decent array of guards at his side, Thorntail would've spilled the piece of fox-dung's blood right then and there anyway... But Thorntail wanted Flamesoul's death to be slow, bloody, painful...and fun – for Thorntail at least. He wouldn't expose Rosethorn to that sight.

Graywhisker's brother glanced at Rosethorn, wondering how she was taking the sudden sight of her mentor. Her cerulean eyes were glazed with horror, and Thorntail could scent a pungent fear scent coming from her, but somehow she was able to keep herself from shaking...as she looked down at her paws.

Flamesoul was the cat that was making Rosethorn so terrified! There was a badger in his mate's own camp, and he couldn't do anything about it! Helplessness welled up inside him. Very rarely had Thorntail ever felt helpless! Usually he could just follow through on his instincts, and kill what had to be killed, chase what had to be chased, and fix whatever needed to be fixed. But he couldn't do anything to Flamesoul! And even if he did... Rosethorn's nightmare wouldn't be over! She was destined to be haunted by Flamesoul for the rest of her life – whether he was alive or dead!

Thorntail's vision took a ruby-red glint as he recalled Rosethorn's screams of terror as he had tried to mate with her. Her yowls had surged through the trees of the forest but long after their echoes had died away, they still rang in Thorntail's mind. He could still recall how his mate's howl had risen and fell like that of one who was mad, and how it was thickened with a haunted terror.

Helplessness...vengefulness...anger...hatred... Thorntail connected all of those with Flamesoul. He was fairly accepting of all those, and found those to be perfectly normal. It was the last feeling that he got when he stared at Flamesoul that intensified his earlier-mentioned anger tenfold. _Envy..._ Rosethorn dreamed about Flamesoul every night. Flamesoul had taken Rosethorn as a mate. Again...and again...and again...

"What are you doing in ThunderClan territory, traitor?" Beakclaw's voice made Thorntail recall that he was being faced with an enemy patrol. _How annoying..._

"Spying?" Shrewtail questioned.

Thorntail's pelt prickled. "Now that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" he snapped, taking out some of his rage and annoyance onto Shrewtail. "The river's right over there," he jerked his head over his shoulder. "I'm like, a rabbit hop over the border, and you think I'm _spying?_ If I was going to spy on you all, I would've gone deeper into ThunderClan territory – I wouldn't just sit _here_. What am I spying for? Waiting how long it takes for a dopey patrol to come and ask why I'm here? No," Thorntail added more solemnly after his rant. "I'm not spying."

Flamesoul's noticeable burning emerald eyes suddenly lit up with a feeling that Thorntail knew he had seen within other eyes as well, but couldn't name. It had appeared in Shadenight's eyes when she looked at Rosethorn – and Applefur's too, when Thorntail and the young medicine cat were still padding after one another. Actually...it appeared in _a lot_ of she-cat's eyes when Thorntail was around. But the look had never exactly been directed at_ him _before. "Then what _are_ you doing in ThunderClan territory?" Flamesoul pressed narrowing his eyes into hateful slits.

"Getting annoyed," Thorntail meowed truthfully.

Gingerpaw let out a low hiss and shook her rump into the air, as if she was getting ready to pounce. Beside her, Shrewtail nodded approvingly. Apparently Thorntail had successfully infuriated the patrol. Forgetting his earlier decision about Rosethorn not seeing him spill any blood, Thorntail flexed his muscles and prepared to show his new/original Clan RiverClan how much loyalty he still had in ThunderClan by bringing them the pelt of the medicine cat!

But before any cat could rip off anyone else's pelt, Rosethorn stepped forward. Her scarlet pelt shimmered like a ruby as she placed herself properly in the sunlight and meowed, "Actually...I called him over. I saw him hunting by the river, and since we're old friends I wanted to talk to him, and maybe tell him how his kits are doing."

"I have kits? How come I was never informed?! I swear, me and Icepelt were just frie – oh..." Thorntail suddenly remembered Baykit and her siblings. "Yes, _kits_. I _do_ have some of those..."

"Yes," Rosethorn meowed, before bowing her head to the patrol. "It's my fault. I'm sorry."

"Wait," Beakclaw growled, swinging his narrow tan head from side to side. "You invited an enemy warrior right onto our territory?"

Before Rosethorn could answer, Flamesoul flicked his tail for the warriors' silence. The fire-pelted medicine cat rested his gaze on Rosethorn. "That's understandable. I don't see why you should have to apologize for speaking to your..._friend_." To Thorntail, it sounded like Flamesoul had to force every word out of his throat.

Flamesoul's statement clearly confused the ThunderClan cats, because each of them screwed up their faces, as if they couldn't believe what the tom was saying. However, none of them protested against what he said – though Thorntail knew that they disagreed. Especially Shrewtail, who went so far as to open his mouth to speak his opinion on the matter but then clearly thought the better of it.

"Anyways," Flamesoul added cheerfully, "Rosethorn, we came out here to find you. Well, we also went out to rescue Gingerpaw from that one WindClan kit that she got into a fight with, but..."

"Hey!" Gingerpaw cried out indignantly. "Tawnykit's really strong! I don't even know why she attacked me in the first place..."

"You stole her from WindClan's nursery, and then dragged her into ThunderClan territory with the intent to make her into one of our warriors," Shrewtail pointed out gently.

"My sister told me to!" Gingerpaw hissed.

"Twilightfur was joking!" Beakclaw growled, aiding his father in the verbal battle. "At least...I think she was."

Flamesoul gave Gingerpaw an annoyed glance. "Gingerpaw, don't ever listen to your sister. It is the sworn duty of older siblings – even if they are just moments older – to kill their little sisters and brothers."

"Unshakable truth," Thorntail agreed morbidly.

"It _is_ shakable!" Gingerpaw asserted, fluffing her sand-colored fur out. "If it was...how come Runningwhisker and my _older brother_ Silverleaf came to save me from his daughter - _he_ saved my life! Not you mouse-brains!"

Gingerpaw's tone was joking, and as Shrewtail gave his apprentice a playful cuff on the ear, Beakclaw asked to no cat in particular, "What were those WindClan cats doing on our territory in the first place?"

"Looking for their stolen kit, from the sounds of it," Thorntail meowed helpfully.

"Good point," Beakclaw sighed. All the warriors had relaxed once they realized that Thorntail wasn't in their territory to spy, and was simply speaking to Rosethorn.

"Back on topic," Flamesoul swiped his tongue around his jaws. "Rosethorn, Ebonypaw is going to receive her warrior name soon... Streamstar is postponing the ceremony until you get your tail in camp."

Rosethorn's ears pricked at the news. "Ebonypaw...passed her assessment?"

"With flying colors," Flamesoul confirmed with a flick of his tail. "So are we all just going to stand around and discuss her, or are we going to return to camp so we can see her get her name?"

Rosethorn hesitated for a moment, her blue eyes uncertain. Thorntail guessed that the poor thing was debating on whether or not to go anywhere with Flamesoul, until she seemed to remember all the other warriors were going to accompany her. "Let's...go home," she meowed uncomfortably.

As the ThunderClan cats retreated into their territory with a few half-tailed warnings to get off their territory, Thorntail cocked his head to one side and wondered if he was supposed to feel some sort of nostalgia for his old home. His head wracked, and he wondered briefly if he would have felt any if his blood hadn't been boiling from the sight of Flamesoul. If ThunderClan's leader had been a cat other than Streamstar who sacrificed her daughter for "the good of the Clan", and if Flamesoul hadn't ever returned to the Clan in the first place...would he had stayed?

Thorntail shook himself. That was one of the most ridiculous thoughts that had ever gone through his head. His home was with RiverClan, where the melody of flowing water always sang in his ears, and where he had finished his kittenhood, began his apprenticeship, and where he had received his warrior name.

His ears twitched with anxiety as he began to pad back towards the RiverClan border that the ThunderClan cats had guarded_ so_ well. He certainly would be able to spend the remainder of his life in RiverClan, but what about Rosethorn's home in ThunderClan? How could she keep on living with constant fear prickling her pelt?

And her fear was a perfectly rational one as well. Thorntail's instinct had almost never lied to him before. And it was telling him that cats can no better change their old habits than they could change their pelts.

* * *

**I hope you all now remember why Thorntail disliked his brother in the first place. (Every Rose Has Its Thorns we learned that Thorntail loved his brother, but didn't like Graywhisker at all.) If I didn't explain it well enough (and I probably didn't...) Graywhisker was kind of like Firestar. Perfect in every single way. Thorntail well...isn't, and wasn't. And since they are two brothers, look exactly alike, and are somewhat outsiders to the Clan because of their heritage...everyone keeps comparing them to one another. So, yeah. Oh, and I say Graywhisker's name like, 50 times in this chapter for...well, there was a reason at the time, but I forgot what that was. oO **

**I didn't write very emotionally in the above chapter. I apologize...I'm also sorry if your eyes are bleeding. **

**Anywho's, if you review this chapter, you'll get a...a... erk...a...um... Second-Edition Graywhisker plushie! (This one has tire tracks on its back!) **

Thorntail: **That's in bad taste.**

**Roxie: Shut up.** **Anyways,** **now that I have everything out of the way, I can get down and dirty! I hope you all love the next chapter! I think I might start working on it right now! I'm so excited...and I just can't fight it... I'm about to lose control and I just can't hide it!**

**Oh, shut up. I can break out in song anytime I want.**

**Review! **


	29. Chapter 28

**I know there's been a lot of confusion about Fanned Chocolate, but I will put up my explanation and the full story to curious readers at the END of this chapter for people who just want to read the chapter!**

**First, review replies, than a briefing on the chapter...and a few warnings.**

**Tainted Shadow Watcher - I love that title! I think I'll tweak it a little - just a bit - and use it for my third story! I'll give you credit too, don't worry!**

**Mapleleaf - I don't think I ever said 'their' brother. If I did, I'm sorry, but...well, never mind. I'll tell you right now that Graywhisker is the only brother that Thorntail has. :)**

**Skysong-Brooksilver - You didn't let me give you a birthday present - I was dead serious, you know. Well, the pigeon conversation is dedicated to you. I hope you'll laugh...**

**Squirrelflightlover - I think Flamesoul was actually jealous of - oh, never mind. You'll see in this chapter. Oh, and Ebonypaw's kits will be born...in the last of the trilogy. -pats head- Sorry. **

**Dragon-Star155- Every RiverClan cat will be in the third story. So will every ShadowClan..and probably every WindClan since they're Clan is so small...and most of ThunderClan. YAY! Most every cat! By the way, this chapter is 25 pages. Long enough for you? lol.**

**spottedmoon - You'll like this chapter. xD**

**Watersoul of the Star Walkers - Okie-dokie. **

**Pearl.H.Sweden - Thank you! -blushes- **

**Oceanwind - Actually, for those 'funny bits' I make them up as I go. lol. **

**TawnyLeaf - Here's another update for 'ya! **

**Dawnfeather - Short? I think the last chapter was 20 pages long. If that's short, than I'm a mongoose...and I'm not. Or AM I? -shifty eyes- **

**Rabbitstorm - Alrighty!**

**lmblovesmilk - He has a good reason to blame himself though - it was his intention for Graywhisker to kill himself, at the time...**

**Fanned Chocolate- I'm going to sick Ebonypool on you. (Seriously, people that aren't Fanned Chocolate! Read the chapter and you'll get what I mean!) **

**xx-Secrets-xx** - **I finished it. WHOOT! This was a hard chapter to work on... But I think it turned out OK. I hope you like it, oh great critic! **

**Strangefur - I mention Silverleaf again in this chapter. Oh, and as for Lightsnow's saying...you might be right. Good guess. Somebody is thinking that there is something wrong with Thorntail's logic...stay on that track. :-) **

**Greenpool-gylfie's Loyalty - I'll go with choice number 2! Or...will I?**

**Cloudfire- One of your many guesses was correct! lol.**

**Glitterpool - -blushes- Thanks!**

**Swanfeather - Thank you!**

**Steeltalon - I'm glad you liked that! **

**Peachfoot - Um...well, Thorntail can let go, but I think he has trouble letting go of Graywhisker. Think now: They were eerily close as Smokestar wanted to kill them, Lightsnow was dead, and then they were in RiverClan after being born in ShadowClan. They were super-duper close, which annoyed Thorntail...so he drove Graywhisker to suicide. I think he's justified to feel some guilt! xD **

**Flamepelt's Wrath - Here you go! **

**Now, I can talk about this chapter:**

**I don't like it much. I mean, I had fun writing it, but I don't like the final product...but I hope you do. You'll find it rushed in some places, but...after 25 pages I had to do some editing, 'ya know? This chapter starts off as just random trying-too-hard silliness, but it ends...in a dark way. Anyways, I have some things to warn you about: I have a slight flashback rape scene. I'm disappointed with it, and I'll fix it one day, but I do mention - if not describe well, like usual - um...stuff. So if you don't like that, or if you think that will make you uncomfortable, than don't read the giant paragraph in italics. Oh, and when you read the conversation between Badgerclaw and Gingerpaw, I know you'll wonder if I made a mistake was showing that Twilightfur and Silverleaf's relationship wasn't...well, normal. I had that intention, and yes, I did meant to make it...um..."weird" like that - and it probably will disgust you. Good for you, it _is _gross. You'll know what I mean when you read it - though you'll say it wasn't foreshadowed at all. It wasn't, but that's because that conversation is foreshadowing stuff in the FUTURE! **

**Other than the weird scenes like that...I think you'll like this chapter. Rosethorn kind of has a nervous breakdown, and I think you'll LOVE how that ends! **

* * *

The brambles of the gorse tunnel tugged at Rosethorn's scarlet pelt as she pushed her way into the ThunderClan camp behind Shrewtail. She grunted in pain, and was relieved when she exited the thorny tunnel and was able to place all four paws on solid earth beneath her. 

"Home at last!" Gingerpaw purred cheerfully, batting the air with her sand-colored paws.

"You're acting like you haven't been to camp in a moon," Shrewtail grunted, flicking the tip of his apprentice's ear with his tail. "I don't see why you're so happy. Streamstar certainly won't be when she hears about how you tried to steal your niece from WindClan's nursery."

The joy in Gingerpaw's leaf-green eyes faded, and she shuffled her paws in discontent. "I would think you all would be proud of me. I was able to sneak all the way into the WindClan camp, go into their nursery, grab a kit, and run out without being noticed..."

"I'm not even sure how you did that." Beakclaw meowed, his topaz eyes glittering with wonder.

"As impressive as that is," Shrewtail growled fixing Gingerpaw with a stern amber glare, "you still broke the Warrior Code. Going into another Clan's territory, stealing their kits..."

Rosethorn stared at the young apprentice, a purr of amusement rising in her throat. She was about to soothe Gingerpaw with some praise, but before she could even pick out the words to say, a voice that did nothing but bring about dark memories growled ominously, "Timidstar won't be ecstatic to hear about your actions either, Gingerpaw."

Rosethorn swung her head to stare at the flame-furred speaker. Without making a conscious decision to do so, she pressed herself closer to Beakclaw. The young warrior gave her a confused glance, but he didn't protest.

"I didn't think about that..." Shrewtail mumbled, giving Flamesoul a respective nod. "Gingerpaw's actions make it seem like ThunderClan is hostile against WindClan. At least hostile enough to steal their kits. Timidstar is going to be furious – and rightfully so, I suppose."

Gingerpaw shuffled her paws, clearly ashamed of her actions. As if the young cat needed more guilt placed on her shoulders, Flamesoul continued, "And ThunderClan may be able to defend itself against WindClan, for their numbers are small, we won't be able to fend off both WindClan_ and_ ShadowClan."

"We have a way of antagonizing every Clan," Shrewtail sighed. "Like dawn this morning..." Rosethorn's ears twitched, curious to what Shrewtail meant. The brown warrior seemed to remember that Rosethorn had been absent that dawn, so he elaborated. "Badgerclaw's patrol was attacked today. Nobody was seriously scarred, thanks to Flamesoul, but it's obvious ShadowClan're trying to drive us off of that small stretch of forest territory by the Thunderpath."

"Why would they want that land?" Gingerpaw asked her voice meek. "The stench of the Thunderpath that runs beside it scares all the prey away."

Rosethorn could actually answer this question. "Some herbs grow best there. Chamomile and chervil root, for instance. I suppose ShadowClan wants that steady supply for their medicine cat."

No cat seemed willing to discuss the friction between the Clans, and for a few heartbeats silence descended them all. Rosethorn had been so wrapped up with Thorntail and Flamesoul recently that she hadn't had much time to acknowledge the terrible danger her Clan was in. ShadowClan was ThunderClan's enemy. WindClan were still being scented in ThunderClan territory, obviously stealing prey – Rosethorn doubted that they just liked the scenery. And ThunderClan, in its shortage of warriors, could hardly lift a claw to stop them. They had a surplus of kits, but it would be some moons before they became apprentices...and seasons until they became warriors. And until that day, the ten kits were just ten mouths to feed that were sucking up prey but not giving anything in return.

Luckily, no cat had to say anything more, for Streamstar's ceremonial call from the HighRock distracted them from their troubles. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the HighRock for a Clan meeting!"

Rosethorn padded towards the stone in a swift trot. But as fast as she went, most of the Clan was faster. She had to pick her way through the horde of her Clanmates until she could find a decent seat – one right beside Applefur. Rosethorn mewed a greeting to her friend, and shifted slightly so she could see who was sitting on Applefur's opposite flank. "Hi, Blackshadow," she purred.

The ebony-furred tom meowed a greeting, but that was all he was able to get in before his mate butted Rosethorn hard in the side with one of her forepaws. Applefur's sapphire eyes glittered with excitement as she meowed curiously, "What do you suppose Ebonypaw's name will be?"

Rosethorn shrugged, and didn't answer. Applefur looked disappointed, and didn't say anything more. Instead, she turned her attention to the night-pelted tom that sat at her side.

Rosethorn shifted her gaze down to her paws. Applefur seemed much more excited about Ebonypaw's warrior ceremony than she was. Rosethorn let out a sigh. She supposed that most mentors had a hummingbird flapping in their stomach with excitement when their first apprentice received their name. But she felt none of that. She guessed it was possible that she was too disappointed in her apprentice to feel any pride about Ebonypaw's soon-to-be warrior name.

She knew she _shouldn't _be disappointed. So Ebonypaw had taken a mate in ShadowClan. Rosethorn had a mate in RiverClan. The only difference was that Ebonypaw was going to be a queen.

Rosethorn let out another sigh. _I guess I just had my heart set on giving Ebonypaw her Full-Medicine Cat name someday, _she admitted to herself.

Rosethorn dismissed all these thoughts, and was somehow able to create for herself artificial pride as Streamstar called for Ebonypaw to step towards the HighRock. Rosethorn spotted the jet black pelt of her apprentice as the young cat hurdled herself to the foot of the stone on which Streamstar sat.

"Twilightfur, Sandpelt," the ivory-furred Clan leader growled, her voice cutting through the murky dusk air, "you have assessed Ebonypaw on all skills of a warrior. Are you two confident that she will serve ThunderClan justly as a warrior?"

Sandpelt's tawny-colored fur was hidden in the shadows of the brooding night, but though her pelt was hidden, her voice was clear. "I am confident," she meowed calmly. "Her hunting skills almost surpass Aquamist's,"

Aquamist, Ebonypaw's sister, was easily the most talented hunter in the Clan. At Sandpelt's remark, Rosethorn could almost hear the gray cat hiss with indignation.

"And I am confident in Ebonypaw as well," Twilightfur put in next to her friend, twitching the tip of her tail – a luxury her brother didn't have. "She fought like a TigerClan cat, if you ask me. And she probably understands the warrior code even more than the better of us, considering her background as a medicine cat. I'm positive that she will make a fine edition to the ranks of ThunderClan warriors."

"You just don't know how to shut up, do you, Twilightfur?" Sandpelt muttered, probably a little louder than she intended. "Honestly. You're always trying to outshine me..."

Twilightfur glanced playfully at the golden female. "That's not very hard, considering who we're talking about."

"How dare you speak to your superior and your deputy in such a way!"

"How dare you speak to your inferior and your warrior in such a crude manner, Sandpelt."

Sandpelt clearly wanted to continue the playful argument with her friend, but kept her jaws closed when she noticed Streamstar glaring at her deputy through flowing blue eyes.

Streamstar seemed to shake the annoyance off of her pelt, and turned away from her deputy and warrior and rested her gaze on the black cat that sat before her. She darted her eyes briefly from Ebonypaw towards the sky to where the warrior's of Silverpelt were just beginning to show their shining faces. "I, Streamstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior her turn." Streamstar's cerulean eyes burned into Ebonypaw's emerald. "Ebonypaw, do you promise to protect and uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your own life?"

Rosethorn waited for Ebonypaw's answer. How could the little black cat possibly answer that question honestly when at that very moment, a ShadowClan warrior's kits were in her stomach?!

The medicine cat muttered some words of retribution towards herself beneath her breath. She was being hypocritical! In truth, there was nothing wrong with what Ebonypaw had done. Ebonypaw was in love with Marshclaw, Marshclaw was in love with her, and that was the end of the matter...and the beginning of kits' lives.

"I do," Ebonypaw's voice was loud and clear, but Rosethorn couldn't help but think that the young cat almost sounded bored. Didn't she understand what she had just done? She had just lied, right in the eyes of StarClan!

Rosethorn wanted to claw all the nasty thoughts that were flashing through her brain out of her head. Now was the time to feel happy and proud of Ebonypaw, not thinking about all the things that she had done wrong!

Ebonypaw's answer seemed sufficient enough for Streamstar. "Then by the powers of StarClan," she continued, "I give you your warrior name: Ebonypaw, from this moment on you shall be known as..."

Belated excitement bubbled in Rosethorn's belly. Ever since she had stared into Ebonykit's shining face as the young kit stared into her eyes and said that the reason she wanted to become a medicine cat was so that she could stop cats like her mother, Turtlefeather, from dying, the scarlet medicine cat had waited for Ebonypaw to receive her full name. Rosethorn had mulled it over in her thoughts again and again, and had at one point chosen a name – for in medicine cats; it was always the mentor who named their apprentice. But she had only mentioned Ebonypaw's name to Streamstar once – would the Clan leader use Rosethorn's opinion of what name would stand for the little black cat that stood before her?

"Ebonypool," Streamstar declared.

At this, Rosethorn was able to purr. Streamstar had actually listened to her opinion, for once!

"StarClan honors your spirit and faith, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Streamstar finished.

"Ebonypool! Ebonypool!" the Clan chanted – Rosethorn with them.

Ebonypool's viridian eyes lit up with delight as she turned away from Streamstar to face her Clan. She must've liked what she saw, because her tail curled and she almost looked bashful as she was welcomed as a warrior of ThunderClan.

"In the tradition of our ancestors," Streamstar continued before the night-furred she-cat was surrounded by her congratulatory Clanmates, "Ebonypool must sit vigil until dawn, and guard the camp alone while we sleep."

"Good," Rosethorn thought she heard Morninglight mutter. "I'm getting tired of guard duty...Sandpelt always gives it to me."

"Morninglight," Blackshadow hissed softly, his voice scolding as if the tortoiseshell was still his apprentice, "hush up! Show some respect for your Clan leader...and your sister! This is an important ceremony and...And...you do _not_ have guard duty every night!"

"Do to."

"Do not."

"I do to!" Morninglight flared. "Sandpelt has something against me!"

Blackshadow's amber eyes narrowed into slits, and Rosethorn could swear that she could scent annoyance coming from his ebony pelt. "Sandpelt doesn't have anything against you! She has something against your sister, every cat knows that."

"Which one?"

"Aqu - " Blackshadow began, but he was cut off by a somewhat furious screech from Streamstar from her position on the HighRock.

"Sandpelt has a grudge against Aquamist because she once tried to stick an injured but still-living robin into her nose when she was asleep," Streamstar meowed briskly. A distant look appeared in her eyes. "Or was that Icepelt? Or...wait...was that me?"

"Actually," Twilightfur meowed quietly, her tone soft and melodic, "I think it was me. I know for a fact that at some point I tried to stick some kind of prey into Sandpelt's nose while she was asleep...I think it was a vole though, not a robin...But I know the vole was still alive."

"No, no..." Streamstar growled. "Maybe that was a separate incident, Twilightfur, but I distinctly remember Sandpelt running around the camp yowling 'She tired to stick a robin in my nose! What kind of sadistic piece of carrion sticks robins into their sleeping deputy's nose?!'"

Flamesoul's fire-colored pelt began to glow silver in the mystifying twilight air as he meowed, "Are you sure Streamstar? I remember that I tried to stick some poppy seeds into Sandpelt's nose before..."

"Every cat in this Clan has tried to stick _something_ up my nose at some point!" Sandpelt snapped cruelly, her ears flat on her head, probably from embarrassment. "I don't understand this obsession..."

"It's 'cause your nostrils're big," Flamesoul pointed out helpfully. "You can't help but want to put stuff in there..."

"My nostrils are the exact size of every other cat's!" Sandpelt hissed, but even as she spoke her nostrils flared to twice their normal size. From the amused purrs that Clan erupted in, Rosethorn guessed that Sandpelt realized what was happening. "If they are big, it's only because they've been enlarged because my Clanmates keep sticking stuff there!"

Streamstar was still chuckling with joy at the conversation she was having with her Clan, when she seemed to remember that Ebonypool was still there. "But before she begins her vigil," the leader growled as if the peculiar conversation about Sandpelt had never occurred, "the Clan will share a meal. As I stated in the previous meeting," Rosethorn guessed that she had missed that one, "I will discuss with my senior warriors and Flamesoul what to do about ShadowClan" - Rosethorn had almost completely forgotten about the dark shadow looming over ThunderClan – "and our Clan will bond through the tradition of sharing tongues. Might as well get to the bottom of that matter right away. We've been working our tails off to defend that border with ShadowClan, and clearly we're itching in our pelts to gossip, stick things in our deputy's nose, and make fun of Icepelt's big ears."

While Icepelt hissed something about her tiny ears, Streamstar bunched her muscles together and leapt off of the HighRock. Instantly Badgerclaw, Shrewtail, Sandpelt, and Flamesoul gathered around her and shared a quick word before they trotted to the fresh-kill pile.

The rest of the Clan milled about for a few blinks of an eye, before they started to form little groups and go to get themselves some fresh-kill. Ebonypool, however, still sat before the HighRock, her eyes narrowed as if she was in deep thought.

Rosethorn padded towards her, the tips of her fur pounding with a whirlwind of emotions. Was it possible to be so proud of a cat, but yet so disappointed at the same time?

"Ebony_pool_," she greeted cheerfully. Rosethorn liked how it rolled off of her tongue so easily, so she said it again. "Ebonypool...Ebonypool?"

The black she-cat hadn't said anything yet. Her ear was twitching slightly, but other than that, she didn't even bat an eyelash.

"You do know that you can speak now, right? Your vigil hasn't begun yet, according to Streamstar."

"I know...darn it!" Ebonypool swore, hissing with fury. Rosethorn looked at her with confusion, but the night-pelted female quickly elaborated. "I was trying to think of something wise and noble to be the first thing I said as a warrior, but...curses! I've already said something! My first word as a warrior is 'I know'. I sound like some sort of arrogant rodent!"

"Arrogant rodent?"

"You know what I mean!" Ebonypool sighed, sitting down on her haunches.

Rosethorn felt the glittering joy appear in her eyes as she stared down at the cat she had mentored. She hadn't mentored Ebonypool as a warrior in that Rosethorn had never taught the black cat about hunting or fighting, but she had taught her how to be a skilled medicine cat. Ebonypool would find those skills useful, if she remembered them.

_If only I'd taught her the importance of the warrior code... _she thought bitterly. "Anyways," she meowed cheerfully hoping the raise both the spirits of her former apprentice and herself, "the words 'I know' don't have to be arrogant. It makes you sound wise. A cat with quiet dignity, I guess. My first word when I received my name Rosethorn was '_what_'. Tell me how that makes me sound."

Ebonypool shrugged. Her eyes strayed around the camp, before she finally meowed, "I'm going to go eat with Aquamist and Morninglight," she decided. "See you, Rosethorn." She started to go, but stopped with one paw still hanging in the air. She turned back towards the cat she had once called her mentor. "I'm happy," she meowed firmly. "I'm not going to let any cat take that away from me. I have a loyal tom that loves me, noble kits forming within me, a Clan full of my best friends and kin, and, to top it all off, a warrior name..."

Rosethorn wondered briefly of Ebonypool was trying to convince her scarlet-furred companion, or herself. She didn't dwell on that long, and instead changed the subject quickly. "A warrior, Ebonypool! I never would've thought that you'd choose..._this_ place in your Clan."

"I know!" the black cat purred. "Now I can defend the Clan from all sorts of things in the forest! Things like Twolegs, ShadowClan cats that aren't cutey-pooey Marshclaw, foxes, Fanfiction Writers, Erin Hunter Impersonators, Fanned Chocolate, adders, foxes, dogs, WindClan cats, and...And I can defend Twilightfur from Badgerclaw who keeps following her around like a kit to its mother!"

Rosethorn listened intently to her excited apprentice. "Yes, you will be a hero to this Clan, I'm sure... Wait... Did you say Fan-?"

"It's not important what I said," Ebonypool meowed hastily, as she turned to go eat with her two sisters. "See you later, Rosethorn!" she called over her shoulder.

"Bye-bye, Ebonypool," Rosethorn sighed. "I'll see you later." She suddenly realized how empty her stomach felt, and she turned to trot towards the fresh-kill pile. But instead she found herself turning to stare straight into the eyes of Applefur.

Rosethorn stared blankly at her friend. How long had Applefur just been sitting there looking at her talk with Ebonypool? She didn't dwell on that thought long, however, and instead focused onto the panic that was beaming in Applefur's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I lost Blazekit and Iriskit!" Applefur mewed helplessly.

Alarm shot through Rosethorn like lightning. Two kits were missing! Kits didn't just go missing every day... Then she remembered that she was talking to Applefur. Her friend lost her kits every time she blinked an eye. The storm of worry in Rosethorn's heart ended, and was replaced with curiosity. She understood why Applefur would fret about Blazekit's disappearance as he was her son, but... "Why do you care about Iriskit? I thought you called her Cruelkit, or the Spawn of Evil...or something like that."

Applefur opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, a silvery-blue blur seemed to appear out of nowhere and nudged the queen playfully in the side. Rosethorn realized that it was Twilightfur.

The young warrior's eyes were glittering. "When you're done eating, Applefur, I'd like to see Iriskit if that's okay with you."

Rosethorn's friend seemed to be choked. Applefur struggled for words for a moment, before she finally mewed hoarsely, "Yeah...that sounds fine..."

Twilightfur nodded before she spun away to go towards the outside of the Warrior's den, where Morninglight and her sisters were beckoning for her. Once Silverleaf's littermate was out of earshot, Applefur jerked her tail towards her. "That's why I have to find Iriskit, and _quick_. I can't have the whole Clan know that I lose my kits on a daily basis! Twilightfur will tell Streamstar for sure, and then Streamstar will send out a search party for them...and then...and then... I don't know, Rosethorn! I don't want the whole entire ThunderClan to know that I can't keep track of five kits."

"Don't you have _six _kits to look after?"

"_See_?!" Applefur hissed. "Help me find them. Those two are always wandering off together...I know Iriskit is coaxing Blazekit into it. She certainly knows how to get on my nerves..." Rosethorn was surprised to see a flash of amusement flicker in Applefur's eyes as she spoke of Spottedlight's only daughter.

"I'll help you," Rosethorn promised realizing that she wasn't going to get to eat that thrush. "They're probably still in camp..."

"Blazekit and Iriskit went out to kill a _badger _before," Applefur pointed out. "I wouldn't put anything past those two. I'd sniff them out if I could, but their scent blends in too well with the rest of the Clan's..."

Applefur started to bound towards Swiftfoot's den, and Rosethorn followed swiftly behind her. "Why do you suppose Twilightfur wants to see Iriskit anyway?"

"I don't _suppose_ anything," Applefur growled not slowing her pace in the least. "I heard Streamstar and Twilightfur the other night. When Iriskit comes of age, Twilightfur will mentor her. Twilightfur wants to get to know the cat that will be her apprentice. I don't know why Twilightfur gets to mentor one of our young so soon, though..." Applefur trailed off, and Rosethorn realized that she hadn't yet had an apprentice of her own. But Applefur didn't dwell on that long at all, and she gave her medicine cat quick orders. "Rosethorn, look somewhere else, okay? We can cover more ground that way."

Rosethorn shrugged her shoulders, and while Applefur bolted into Swiftfoot's den the medicine cat scanned the camp to see if she would visually find Iriskit and Blazekit. She noticed Sandpelt as the Clan deputy tried to discuss some important Clan matter with her leader. Robinkit and Nightkit were sharing a tiny mouse between them by the apprentice's den as if they were preparing for the future. Bramblekit and Cloverkit were just outside of the den that Rosethorn and Flamesoul shared, the two sisters play-fighting under the watchful eye of their mother, Dusktail, and Icepelt. Blackshadow was keeping a watchful gaze on Hollowkit, Baykit, and Petalkit as they played some kitten games outside of the nursery.

Realizing that she still couldn't see either Blazekit's ginger pelt or Iriskit's silvery white, Rosethorn started to stumble around the camp to physically search for them. Her paws led her over towards the tree stump, where the apprentices...in this case, _apprentice _ate. She brushed past Nightkit and Robinkit, and instead focused on the only apprentice of ThunderClan. Gingerpaw was calmly chewing on her magpie, but instead of being alone, as Rosethorn had expected her to be, Badgerclaw sat beside her – he had most likely escaped from Streamstar's meeting with her senior warriors.  
"Come on, Gingerpaw!" Badgerclaw was mewing. "You're her sister, you'd know best! It's-it's that brother of hers isn't it?"

"Don't you have anything better to do than to harass me about my sister?" Gingerpaw asked coolly after swallowing a bite of the bird. "Twilightfur just doesn't want a mate. Silverleaf has nothing to do with that..."

"I don't know," Badgerclaw grunted, twisting to give his black-and-white pelt a quick lick. "Honestly, I've never seen two siblings so fascinated with each other. It's unhealthy. I was my sister's mentor, for StarClan's sakes, and _we _don't even have a bond that close!"  
Rosethorn stopped in her tracks, and listened intently, though it hurt her to do something as shameful as eavesdropping What was Badgerclaw saying? She had known that he had been padding after Twilightfur ever since she had joined the Clan...and she had also realized that Twilightfur just considered him as a friend...but... What was all this about Silverleaf? What did he mean about them being so close – and so fascinated with each other? They hadn't even said two words to one another when Silverleaf was in the Clan...

"Twilightfur and my brother have been through a lot together," Gingerpaw meowed nonchalantly. "Of course they'd be close."

"You mean that thing with your mother?" Badgerclaw asked with a shrug of his shoulders. "What she did to you five was terrible, and you all have my sympathies to what went on inside the hole...but you were there too. How come Twilightfur doesn't go out of her way to be with you?"

Gingerpaw hesitated for a moment, and didn't answer the warrior's question directly. Instead she mewed, "I-I don't really remember everything that went on inside there, Badgerclaw... I just remember random images. I think...at some point when I was there, I drank some cat blood – I really remember that, with the metallic taste in my throat... and I vaguely remember my older sister, Rinoa calming me down after some nightmare I had – and I know Silverleaf did the same for Rinoa... But...other than little bits like that, it's a blur. But whatever happened, it ended with the relationship between me, and my brother, and my sister becoming...gnarled. I know Silverleaf and Twilightfur don't look at me as they would their sister, but as their daughter... I don't blame them – _they_ raised me. I never met my father and as for my mother..." Gingerpaw trailed off. She spoke again, completely changing the subject – so it seemed. "And I hunt with my sister all the time, but I think she's trying to distance herself from me so I can...I can... become a big strong warrior that can kill annoying _badgers_." Gingerpaw finished with a promising hiss, but considering Badgerclaw was over twice the size of the young apprentice, Rosethorn doubted that the big cat would be bothered with her hidden threat.

Badgerclaw's beady eyes clouded. "You say Twilightfur loves you like a queen loves her kits... Understandable, I see nothing wrong with that. But how does Twilightfur love Silverleaf? As a Clanmate? As a father? As a son? None of those seem likely, and she certainly doesn't think of him as a brother, that's for sure."

Badgerclaw's words sent shivers down Rosethorn's spine. What did the big black-and-white tomcat mean? If Twilightfur didn't love Silverleaf as a brother...then what were her affections towards him? Did she have any? Did she think of him as a blotch on her otherwise-perfect record of being a ThunderClan cat, an enemy, a nuisance...or...

"That doesn't matter," Gingerpaw growled. "Silverleaf and Twilightfur did the best they could under the conditions..."

"_The best they could_?" Badgerclaw practically spat the word out at Shrewtail's apprentice. "What in name of StarClan does that tell me?"

"All you need to know," Gingerpaw retorted. "I don't know what Twilightfur and my brother did in the shadows then, and I don't know what they're doing now – if anything. And I don't really care to know, either. So-"

Badgerclaw and Gingerpaw's conversation suddenly came to a halt, and as she was pinned down by the searching eyes of the two cats she realized that they just noticed that she was eavesdropping. She decided to speak as if she had heard nothing, and maybe, hopefully, they would assume that she hadn't. "Have...have you seen..." she had almost forgotten what she was looking for. Then she remembered. "Have you seen Iriskit or Blazekit? Or both?"

"Neither," Badgerclaw meowed guardedly. "I know _dearest_ Twilightfur wanted to see Iriskit earlier...maybe she's with her."

Rosethorn's tail drooped. "Maybe," she sighed. Without excusing herself, Rosethorn started to pad towards where the rest of the senior warriors were eating. She had no intention to snitch on Applefur to any more cats about her losing kits – she was just going to look more closely. Maybe she'd missed something when she had looked at them from afar.

Swiftfoot, Shrewtail, Sandpelt, Streamstar, and Flamesoul were all sitting lazily beside the HighRock. From the purrs that were erupting from the foursome implied that somehow, they had gotten off the topic of the dispute with ShadowClan. _Or maybe they've already figured out a solution,_ Rosethorn guessed optimistically.

As Rosethorn started to sniff about for either Blazekit or Iriskit, the conversation spread to her ears. All four of them seemed to be talking at once and it all sounded like garbled nonsense to her for a few heartbeats, until Flamesoul announced quite loudly: "For the last time Streamstar, the Leader of ShadowClan is _not _a pigeon!"

For a heartbeat, the four older cats were silent. Then Streamstar piped up cheekily, "Yes he is, Flamesoul. Haven't you ever looked at him? His whiskers are unusually long...he's a pigeon."

"That doesn't even make sense," Shrewtail sighed. "I could understand thinking that Timidstar was a pigeon – I mean, have you listened to her talk? And ever since she became leader there have been an unusual amount of pigeon droppings about..."

"What if they're _both_ pigeons?!" Swiftfoot asked dramatically. His exclamation was followed by gasps from all the cats around him. "And not just Timidstar and Smokestar...what if Duststar's a pigeon too? What if_ you're_ a pigeon?!" he hissed at Streamstar.

The Clan leader's sapphire eyes clouded with worry. "I'm a pigeon?" she asked, her voice scarcely over a whisper. "How come nobody's ever told me?"

Flamesoul's whiskers twitched and he seemed to be having trouble keeping his voice level and not breaking out into a purr as he growled, "Your mother was a pigeon, Streamstar. She came to my mentor, Ambertail, in the dead of night, and gave me the egg that you were in. She said you were half-ThunderClan, and that in the pigeon Clan you would surely be killed because she thought you would look funny. So she gave you up to your father's Clan. So, you're half cat, half pigeon, leaving a lot of questions that don't need to be answered," he finished.

"No! No...That's not true!" Streamstar cried. "That's _impossible_! I mean...how would my father...and my mother...how would that work?"

"Leaving a lot of questions that _don't _need to be answered," Flamesoul emphasized. "Didn't you hear me, Streamstar?" His eyes strayed down to her paws. "Oh, my! You seem to have an infection in your paw! And I believe it's affecting your brain!"

At this, none of the cats seemed to be able to contain themselves and they all rolled onto their backs and let out purrs of joy.

"You watching the senior warriors?" Rosethorn nearly leapt out of her fur when she heard Twilightfur's voice in her ear.

"Y-yes," Rosethorn meowed, not willing to say that she had been looking for Applefur's lost kits. "Though, I have no clue what they're talking about." That much was the truth.

Twilightfur chuckled. "They're just playing a game is all. None of what they're saying is really true."

"I didn't really think that my mother was half-pigeon...It doesn't make any sense..."

"I didn't think you were so gullible," Twilightfur admitted. "Excuse me, Rosethorn, I promised Ebonypool I'd get her a mouse from the fresh-kill pile." The cat pushed past her, and went on her way.

Suddenly, Flamesoul's eyes took on a look of seriousness. "Wait...seriously though, Streamstar, let me see your paw." The Clan leader didn't argue, and slowly lifted one of her forepaws into the air. Flamesoul glanced over it briefly. "Great StarClan, Streamstar, I think that your paw is really injured. What did you do to it?"

"I fell out of the top branch of the Great Sycamore tree. I landed on my paws...but...well, as you can see, they took some damage," Streamstar admitted.

Flamesoul chastised his leader before leaping up to go get his leader some herbs from outside the camp for her injured paws. "Rosethorn and I are all out in our den," he put in.

"Don't go through any trouble," Streamstar growled. "My paws will be fine, they aren't that bad."

"Don't be so sure," Flamesoul meowed. "It's no trouble, and it's best that we have those herbs anyways. You don't go too far, Streamstar..." He started towards the exit of the camp.

"How can I with these injured paws?!" Streamstar called after him, and Flamesoul flicked his tail to show that he heard before he slipped through the gorse tunnel.

Streamstar's eyes lay on the Gorse Tunnel, and Rosethorn knew that she saw respect shine in their sapphire depths. Flamesoul was supporting the Clan, and supporting Streamstar with his skills as a medicine cat. It had been awhile since she had seen Streamstar so content, and calm. And the way her mentor and mother had looked at each other – emerald and sapphire eyes both filled with such devotion and respect for one another...

Remembering her quest for Iriskit and Blazekit, Rosethorn started to work her way towards her own nest thinking that the two kits might've hidden themselves in there. As she neared she noticed Dusktail and Icepelt lying lazily in the clearing sharing a blackbird. From the way Dusktail was jerking her tail with her amber eyes filled with pride towards Bramblekit and Cloverkit it seemed that one of the two kits had caught the piece of prey.

Rosethorn's heart was warmed with the news – almost as much as it did when she saw how healthy and fit Icepelt looked. The white warrior would be out patrolling again in no time.

But her joy faded when she overheard some of the two she-cats' conversation as she neared.

"You should really find yourself a new mate, Dusktail," Icepelt was meowing, playfully batting her friend's ear with the tip of her tail. "Shadowfire's been dead awhile now. You deserve it." Rosethorn knew that Shadowfire had been Dusktail's mate. They had trained together and had been really close until he had...died. Shadowfire was the father of Cloverkit and Bramblekit.

"I couldn't," Dusktail murmured, swallowing a bite of her blackbird. "I'll wait to meet up with Shadowfire in StarClan, where we'll be together forever. I had his kits, I'm his mate."

Icepelt was nodding thoughtfully. "Yes...kits. When you were an apprentice, Dusktail, your chatted your head off about being a mother. Your dream was to earn your warrior name and raise litters and litters of kits. Cloverkit and Bramblekit will be apprentices in a few moons. You won't be a queen anymore – or ever again, unless you get yourself a new mate. It would be good for you too," Icepelt added. "I remember when you first took Shadowfire as a mate..."

"How would you remember? You weren't there!" Dusktail snapped.

"No, I wasn't, but it was obvious what had happened," Icepelt's eyes glinted mischievously. "You had taken on several of Shadowfire's mannerisms, and even some of his gung-ho personality rubbed off on you. Every cat knows that when a tom and she-cat mate, both cats gain some personality traits from the cat of the opposite gender. So the tom will receive some of the she-cat's thoughts, feelings, emotions and mannerisms and the she-cat will receive some of the toms'."

_Was that true? _When...when Flamesoul had taken Rosethorn on as a mate, had he left something inside her? Did she have some of his mannerisms – and had she started to think more like him? No...No, of course not. It had to be an old queens' tale.

"Hello, Icepelt, Dusktail," she purred quickly, trying to distract herself from those nasty thoughts. The two she-cats gave her a friendly nod and mewed their greetings. Rosethorn waited for them to finish before she meowed, "Have you two seen...some kits wandering around the camp?" Though she doubted that either Icepelt or Dusktail would look down on Applefur, Rosethorn wasn't about to tell them that the scarlet queen had lost two of her kits. Again. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them...

"Did Applefur lose some of her kits again?" Dusktail asked lazily. Rosethorn flinched. Apparently the Clan already knew about Applefur's...kittensitting skills. "No, I haven't seen any of her kits wandering around...have you, Icepelt?" Dusktail asked.

Icepelt looked thoughtful. "Which kit is lost? Robinkit?"

"Robinkit is Sandpelt's daughter," Dusktail meowed gently.

"Well, I'm not a queen. I don't keep track of such things," Icepelt retorted. More politely she asked, "Rosethorn, which kits are missing?"

"Blazekit and Iriskit," Rosethorn admitted reluctantly.

"Those two?" Dusktail's eyes glittered with amusement. "Oh, in the short time you and I have been talking, Rosethorn, those two could already be past HighStones getting other runaway kits together to create a new Clan in the forest. Those two are always running off, and every time they do they get further and further away from camp..."

"How long have you been outside of my den?" Rosethorn asked, thinking that Iriskit and Blazekit might've slipped in when no cat had been looking.

"Long enough," Icepelt assured her. "They certainly aren't in your den, if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh..." she forced herself to shrug. "Bye," she trudged across camp.

She heard Flamesoul meow something about having to go collect a quick batch of cobwebs that he had seen when he had gone to find his apprentice, and he quickly scurried out of camp. Meanwhile, Rosethorn turned to look for Iriskit and Blazekit elsewhere.

She hadn't gotten even two pawsteps when she noticed Applefur padding triumphantly back to the nursery, ginger bundle in her jaws and a white ball of fur padding beside her.

Rosethorn padded over to congratulate her for finding the kits. She slipped into the brambles of the nursery quickly, and was surprised to see the both Blackshadow and Applefur were inside.

They were standing shoulder to shoulder, watching something with a soft look in their eyes. Rosethorn moved closer to stand beside them, and watched curiously as she saw all ten kits of ThunderClan bustling together.

She noticed the usually-reluctant-to-play Robinkit chasing Nightkit playfully, her robin-egg-blue eyes alight with delight. Rosethorn stared thoughtfully at Nightkit. He was a carbon copy of his father, Blackshadow. From the way his muscles bunched underneath his pelt to the way his amber eyes lit up as he played with his denmate, he looked _exactly_ like his father.

Tiberkit, who must've wandered away from his mother, was wrestling with Hollowkit, the two tabbies hissing and spitting insults. In the end, Tiberkit's paws pummeled Hollowkit a tad bit too hard, and Hollowkit let out a mewl of pain. "Mommy!" Hollowkit cried, turning to stare up at the cat he believed to be his mother, Applefur.

"I'm not your mother," Applefur meowed in a bored tone as if she had said the same thing every day. "Can't you tell? We look nothing alike."

"How come you are so...so...so mean to me, Mommy?" Hollowkit asked curiously as Tiberkit went to busy himself with some other kitten-matter. "You're nice to Iriskit now..."

She was? Rosethorn looked at Applefur, confused.

"Iriskit is cruel and violent," Applefur sighed. Even as the words came out of her mouth, Iriskit started to stick the smaller-Robinkit's head into her mouth, with the intention to go through with Blazekit's dare and eat her. "Spottedlight hated violence, and murdered cats because she hated bloodshed. This proves to me that Iriskit will never murder any cat, because she's so bloodthirsty. You, on the other paw, are weak, and peaceful. You scream to me 'evil tyrant' because of how much you hate violence."

"That doesn't really make sense, Applefur..." Blackshadow pointed out. To Iriskit, he added in a fatherly tone, "Iriskit, Robinkit is not food. Spit her out."

Hollowkit, however, didn't seem to understand a word his mother said, because he asked, "W-what?"

Rosethorn didn't listen to Applefur's answer. Instead, she focused her attention on the plentiful kits that were scurrying about. In a few short moons, they would be apprentices. Then warriors. All of them looked strong and powerful – Rosethorn predicted that if they all worked together, even now they could send an enemy warrior retreating. Even Robinkit was shaping up to look forward to her future duties as a warrior...

The kits were an assurance that life moved on. The Clan would survive, and would one day be placed in the paws of one of the young kits in the den. Quite possibly, one of them could become a Clan leader someday.

Ebonypool had received her warrior name. Icepelt was starting to heal, thanks to Flamesoul. Streamstar had a medicine cat she could rely on. Applefur's hatred was starting to ebb away – she seemed to have started a friendship between Twilightfur and at some point or another, she had found a place in her heart for Iriskit. Hollowkit would find his place too, soon enough.

"Rosethorn," Applefur meowed suddenly, lowering her voice. "Is...Is everything okay, with you...and Flamesoul?"

"The Clan's flourishing now," Rosethorn meowed. "A wonderful future is waiting for us. I'm going to try and enjoy that...maybe I'll do what I promised I would, and forgive and forget." A doubt tugged at her heart, but she went on. "I think...finally... Streamstar, Flamesoul, and I will move on with our lives and work together to make ThunderClan strong. Finally, we can truly be Clanmates without worrying about matters that no cat will ever hear of again – we can completely focus on our Clan's troubles, like ShadowClan..."

"Thorntail's changed you," Blackshadow observed an instant after Rosethorn had finished speaking. "I don't believe that you would be able to handle this so maturely if you had never met him."

Rosethorn felt hot beneath her fur, so she looked down at her paws. "Yes," she admitted. Her heart started to thud at the mere mention of the gray cat's name now... Was that normal?

Applefur snorted. "I can't believe you two are handling this so calmly. After everything Flamesoul did to Rosethorn, he gets off without a hair on his pelt out of place. So he spent a few moons out of camp? If you ask me, it wasn't enough..."

Blackshadow shrugged. "Applefur, Flowertail told me when I was a young kit that cruel cats always get their just reward. StarClan and time will both work together to give Flamesoul what's coming to him. Just be patient. Our warrior ancestors must have something clever in mind."

If StarClan had ever wanted to punish Flamesoul, they should've done it when he had been terrorizing his apprentice! But Rosethorn just twitched the tip of her tail thoughtfully, and didn't put in her opinion. She was afraid to voice it... Even after fixing the rift between her and Thorntail, her nightmares were still filled with Flamesoul stalking after her... But in her dreams, her sweetest dreams, she was able to lick his blood off of her claws...

"Well," Applefur growled haughtily, "_I _think that..." Pale blue eyes scanned the horde of kittens. "Okay, I _know _Baykit's missing."

"What?!" Blackshadow asked in disbelief. "That's impossible! I've been here the whole time!"

"She's a slippery one, that Baykit..." Applefur muttered darkly. "We should probably find her. The moon is starting to rise," she added.

Between the brambles of the nursery, Rosethorn was just able to make out the silvery orb that was climbing into the sky. The almost-full moon shed its chilled light onto the forest below, signaling for owls and other creatures of the night to awaken and gobble up young kits like Baykit whole.

"I'll stay and watch these kits," Blackshadow offered. "Dusktail's eating with Icepelt, and Sandpelt is still with all the other senior warriors," he put in quickly, naming the other two queens.

Applefur nodded and bounded out of the den, and though her friend hadn't asked her to, Rosethorn bounded out of the nursery after her blood-colored queen. The two stopped to stand beside one another, two pairs of sapphire eyes scanning the camp for the white-and-ginger kit.

All she saw was that Streamstar had wandered over to where Ebonypool, Aquamist, Beakclaw and Morninglight were eating and seemed to be speaking to the three of them as if she was giving them some important warrior's mission. Three sets of green eyes and one set of topaz were bright with excitement, and Rosethorn noticed that Beakclaw was sheathing and unsheathing his claws, as if she couldn't wait to dig them into an enemy's pelt.

Twilightfur had at some point gone over to Gingerpaw and the two sisters were calmly sharing tongues. From the way Twilightfur's ears were pressed flat onto her head, Rosethorn guessed that Gingerpaw was reporting Badgerclaw's twisted suspicions about her.

Sandpelt and Swiftfoot, deputy and former deputy, were quietly sharing a chaffinch outside of the elder's den. From the way their tails were twitching and how they were looking affectionately into one another's eyes, they had some plans for the night. Plans that would be easy to go through with since Swiftfoot had a den all to himself.

Meanwhile, Shrewtail and Badgerclaw had started to spar outside the warrior's den. From the looks of things, Applefur's brother and former mentor was winning, but Rosethorn didn't know for sure.

Whatever the case, Baykit wasn't in sight. "Your kits are good at concealing themselves, Applefur. Where did you find Iriskit and Blazekit, anyways?"

"Streamstar's den – Blazekit was pretending to be Clan leader, and Iriskit was making-believe that she was an evil deputy plotting the murder of her Clan leader," Applefur meowed distractedly. "Anyways, I see Swiftfoot with Sandpelt, so I know that he couldn't have taken her... We were just in the nursery... Icepelt or Dusktail would see them in the warrior's den...Gingerpaw would in the apprentice's... I think I'll look outside of camp," she decided. She glanced at the medicine cat. "You stay here. I'm going to go search for her in the ravine. Why don't you look around – come find me if you see them."

"Sure," Rosethorn promised. Without wasting another heartbeat, Applefur bounded out of camp. Shaking her head with amazement that Applefur could lose her kits so often, Rosethorn started towards her den in a swift trot for no conscious reason.

The scarlet medicine cat slipped between the ferns of her den, and more out of habit than anything else, she began to check her herb stocks. She had had difficulty keeping up with her supplies earlier. Between Thorntail, healing her Clanmates, The Blood, Spottedlight, Shadenight, and Silverleaf all coming into her life back-to-back, Rosethorn had barely had time to breathe, let alone wander out of camp for a day of collecting poppy seeds! Before Flamesoul, she had had a lot of trouble keeping up. But now...

Rosethorn wasn't sure how much time passed before she stumbled on Baykit who had been hiding inside a wrapping of chervil roots.

"Hiya, Rosythorny," Baykit squeaked. "How are you today? I'm just...making sure you have enough herbs."

"Flamesoul and I are perfectly capable of doing that ourselves, thanks," Rosethorn growled. "Baykit, your mother is worried sick about you! You should know better than to wander off!"

"Nightkit always tells me to!" Baykit cried out.

"Is...Nightkit older than you?"

"Not by a moon or nothin'! Just by a few moments!"

Flamesoul's words echoed in Rosethorn's head. It was true. Elder siblings _did_ try to murder the younger ones! "Don't ever listen to Nightkit. He wants to kill you."

Baykit's eyes rounded with shock. "He does?! I knew Blazekit, Petalkit, Iriskit, and Hollowkit wanted me out of their fur, but Nightkit! I thought I could trust him!"

"No, Baykit. He isn't literally going to... never mind." Arguing with this kit was a losing battle. "I want you to go straight to your fa – Blackshadow in the nursery. I'm going to go find your mother, are we clear? You're in big trouble!"

The young she-kit's head lowered in shame. "I'm sorry, Rosethorn. I just like hiding. When I hide, I'm hidden."

Rosethorn couldn't keep the purr that was rising in her throat silent. She almost-calmly repeated the order to Applefur's daughter, and Baykit blundered out of the den. Rosethorn followed her out, and quickly looked to make sure that the kit had gone to her father as she had been ordered to. She was relieved when she saw the ginger-patched fur of the young kit disappear into the shadows of the nursery. Rosethorn quickly bounded towards the Gorse Tunnel.

She slipped through, her pelt turning silver as the light of the moon danced across her pelt. Rosethorn glanced at the pearly orb. She had been hidden inside her den for longer than she had thought– the moon was high in the sky already. _Applefur must be frantic!_ Rosethorn realized, understanding that Applefur still thought that her kit was lost and terrified somewhere in the forest of ThunderClan.

Luckily, unlike in the camp, it was easy to follow Applefur's scent-trail. Rosethorn was surprised when her friend's smell of musty forest scents of mice, leaves and really annoying mosquitoes led her out of the ravine where Applefur had said she would stay. _She must've gone deeper into the forest for Baykit, _she realized. Rosethorn kept following the scent only half-noticing that Applefur's scent was leading her west, towards RiverClan territory. Towards Thorntail. Rosethorn's heart started to beat fast as she thought of the gray warrior, but she kept trudging on.

Rosethorn just pushed through a pair of ferns around the Owl Tree when she realized that Applefur's scent was crossing over itself. Almost as if... Applefur had retraced her route home! Rosethorn spat crossly. She had come out all this way only to find that Applefur had gone back to camp long ago!

Rosethorn flopped herself down by the trunk of the tree, and thought for a few heartbeats. She could go back to camp...or...she could wait on that. After all, the RiverClan border wasn't that far away, maybe Thorntail was out.

Brightening at the thought of her beloved, Rosethorn's eyes strayed towards a small patch of dandelions on the other side of the trunk. Purring with amusement, Rosethorn filled her scent glands with the pungent smell of the flowers. It was so sweet...so warm... Almost like Thorntail's peculiar scent of the mixture of RiverClan and ShadowClan – with a dash of ThunderClan forest smells.

As enjoyable as it was, Rosethorn was so engrossed in the flowers that she nearly leapt out of her fur when she heard a twig snap. Her scent glands were covered by dandelion spores so she couldn't quite pick out who it was by smell. Instead she only had to go by at the rustling ferns a few tail-lengths away. Rustling ferns... Almost as a signal...

Rosethorn let out a naïve purr. Her mind was so filled with Thorntail that common sense was eluding her. "Thorntail, come on out," she called cheerfully.

She expected the gray tom to answer. But he didn't. Instead, the ferns stopped rustling for a few heartbeats, and silence surrounded her. Finally a soft, almost-menacing voice that definitely wasn't Thorntail murmured quietly, "I thought as much."

Before Rosethorn could stutter out an exclamation of surprise, the ferns parted. Shadow-covered ginger paws rested daintily on the other side of the greenery, before a head thrust forward to loom over them. Piercing emerald eyes burned into Rosethorn's fur, and she parted her jaws in shock.

Flamesoul's eyes almost seemed to stare straight through her, as if he could even see the wrongs she had done without even realizing it. Flamesoul's voice was low as if hiding something. "Thorntail? That one RiverClan traitor that pranced around ThunderClan like he was leader? Is that who you were calling for?" When Rosethorn didn't answer, Flamesoul's eyes rounded with horror and awe, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. His voice rose higher, and he almost sounded like an aggravated apprentice as he cried, "You're...you're out here to meeting that tom, aren't you?" He paused, and seemed to have to struggle to level his voice before he growled, "You're going to meet that traitorous river-rat, aren't you?"

_RiverClan traitor?! River-rat!? _Crude insults that didn't suit Thorntail at all! He was one of the few noble warriors left in the forest in her opinion!

Anger replaced the shock of seeing her mentor instantly. How dare Flamesoul talk so cruelly about Thorntail. "R-River-rats don't exist. Rats drown in rivers; therefore they avoid them at all costs," he voice was shaking and she paused to try and regain her footing. Finally she was able to hiss, "What right do _you_ have to say such things, anyway?"

Flamesoul didn't answer her question at all. Instead he spoke as if she hadn't. "Rosethorn, you're a medicine cat! How can you betray..." Flamesoul paused, "your _Clan _like this?" he finished. Why had he paused so long before saying 'Clan'? What else could she possibly be betraying?! She could almost hear Flamesoul's unspoken words: 'How can you betray _me _like this?'

Chills ran across Rosethorn's pelt like terrified rabbits. She tried to fight the fear that weakened her, and tried to warm herself with anger. How could Flamesoul accuse her of betraying her _Clan_ after doing such a thing to _her_?! "None of your business," she snapped in answer to his question. "I suppose you followed me?"

Flamesoul was silent for a moment, his green eyes wide and almost hurt, as if he had been insulted. "While I was searching for herbs for Streamstar I scented you getting closer and closer to that border of his. I wasn't just going to stand by," Flamesoul retorted.

She had heard him tell Streamstar that he was going to go get something for her...that much was the truth... She was glad about that. It had been pure coincidence that they had met up with one another. She had been out of camp, he had been out of camp – he hadn't purposely stalked her like a warrior would stalk a mouse.

Or had he? Whether he had or hadn't, the glint in his emerald eyes as he regarded her from the tips of her ears to the end of her paws made memories that she had tried to hard to bury rise up out of the earth.

Following her instincts and deciding that she had no reason to answer the questions that Flamesoul had no right to ask, she whipped herself around to storm back to camp. She could deal with the Thorntail problem another time, another day, when she wasn't alone with her mentor... At that thought, Rosethorn realized that this had been the first time she had truly been alone with Flamesoul since he had joined the Clan. In the den sleeping with them for the past few dawns had been Icepelt, and before she had gotten injured Rosethorn had spent the night outside of camp...

Before she could run with that thought any longer – or run any closer to camp - Flamesoul somehow rushed forward with the speed of a WindClan cat half his age and blocked her way. Standing like a wall of flames that Rosethorn couldn't pass out of shock, fear, and confusion he let out a hiss. "I'm _worried _about you," he meowed almost-genuinely. "I saw you with Thorntail earlier, and I can't say it was a mystery to me what was going on. I care about you Rosethorn – don't you see that?" If it had been the words of a worried mentor it would've almost touched her heart. But when a mentor scolded their apprentice and expressed worry that they were padding down the wrong path, they're eyes wouldn't flash with lust and they would look into her eyes – not drink her pelt like it was some sort of nectar! Something else was flashing in them too... Something that Rosethorn had seen many times directed at her...first from Applefur, than from Shadenight... Great StarClan! Was Flamesoul _jealous_ of Thorntail?!

Memories flowed through Rosethorn's mind like water in the river. Terror seized every limb of her body but somehow she was able to rasp, "Get out of my way."

Flamesoul didn't budge a mouse-length. He no longer stood as a wall of flames, but as a wall of stone. An ominous, indestructible stone wall between her and her destination of home, blocking out the moonlight and casting his dark shadow onto his apprentice's face. Gradually, he shifted his tail so it lay on Rosethorn's shoulder. "I'm _worried _about you," he repeated.

Rosethorn leapt away from him, the shoulder where his tail had lain burning like it really was made out of flames, and not just flame-colored. Fear kept Rosethorn standing stiff as he inched closer towards her. "I told you to get away from me," she tried to give him a harsh growl, but all she was able to get out was a meek mewl.

It was as if her mentor had turned deaf ears to her cries. Instead of backing away from his terror-stricken apprentice, he stalked closer, and closer, until finally he was in the range to forcibly twine his tail with hers.

The action made Rosethorn's nerves buzz with pain even though Flamesoul didn't squeeze her hard. But she was thankful for this pain for it seemed to jolt her limbs out of their terror stricken sleep. The tugged her tail back to her body and pressed it close to her flank.

Flamesoul couldn't have made his intentions more clear if he had yowled them to the heavens. Before anything else could happen, Rosethorn turned her back on Flamesoul and ran!

Her paws pounded on the earth beneath her, all forethought and rationality gone. She didn't know where she was running to, or even what she was running from or why! She just had an instinct yowling in her ear at the top of its lungs: _Run! Run! Get as far away as possible!_

Rosethorn didn't argue. As she sped past leaves that had been decorating the forest floor flew up as if surprised at her presence, while others crunched under her fleeing paws. _Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch_ for four paws. That was all there should've been...then why did she hear more crunches coming from behind her!?

Though the voice inside her told her to not look back, just keep running forward, she still painstakingly spared a worried glance behind her. Her eyes rounded in horror as she saw a huge cat, his pelt dappled in shadows surging after her.

At this, Rosethorn yowled! It didn't matter anymore what the Clan thought of her and how she was 'impure'! She just needed somebody – anybody to hear her! Applefur, Blackshadow, Thorntail, even a ShadowClan battle patrol! Somebody to know! Somebody to see! Somebody to do something! Surely some cats would see that this was wrong? Cats would see that Flamesoul was wrong! Cats would know that _she _hadn't meant for anything like this to happen – they would be more understanding then StarClan! They would! They had to!

Her voice rang throughout the forest and she would've sworn that she even woke up cats living beyond HighStones with her shrieks. But besides the sound of her thudding paws followed by Flamesoul's, the forest was silent, as if it was watching in speechless with shock – or curiosity - at what would happen.

Had she gotten turned around on herself? When? She had to have, because she saw the Owl Tree drawing nearer and nearer towards her. Rosethorn skidded into the flowerbed of dandelions, the yellow flowers brushing against her scarlet pelt. The medicine cat placed one paw in front of the other to launch herself forward, but her move failed and she skidded onto her side.

A mere rabbit hop away, Flamesoul stumbled to a halt. Rosethorn wanted to leap up and run once more, but no matter how many messages she sent to her legs they simply stayed sprawled out beside her as she stared helplessly up at her mentor. Flamesoul had his head cocked to the side as if he was deep in thought about some matter, his emerald eyes clouding with some almost-loving emotion. Rosethorn's ears could just pick up a small mewl that escaped his lips. "Scarletstripe?"

Scarletstripe? Scarletstripe had been Crimsonspirit's – Rosethorn's father's – one and only sibling. Scarletstripe had died shortly after Rosethorn had been born...what did Flamesoul want with her long-dead aunt?

She didn't contemplate that mystery any longer than a single instant. The soft look that had flashed within Flamesoul's irises was gone. In its place came the burning eyes of a mad cat, someone lost in his own twisted emotions, not driven by love or affection but by hate and passion. Rosethorn regained some of her control of her body and she tried to roll back onto her paws, but before she could Flamesoul bunched his muscles together and pounced!

Rosethorn tiny body was smashed against the earth beneath it. Flamesoul pushed his weight onto her back with all of his strength as if to keep her from running away. His two forepaws pushed down onto Rosethorn's shoulders with such a force that she let out a yowl no longer of terror, but of pain.

Flamesoul laid his broad head in the indentation between her neck and body, his soft rumbling purrs echoing through the air as she struggled. She knew what happened next! Rosepaw's yowls of the past synchronized with Rosethorn's screams of the present as she wriggled her rump around and used her tail to protect her privates. Flamesoul's lust, his desire, his obsession seemed to be leaping off of his pelt in a fiery wave of heat, and Rosethorn knew that the moment she stopped struggling she would be burned! Burned like the roses in Ebonypool's dream!

_Help me, StarClan! Please! Don't let this happen again! _She prayed hopelessly, but the warriors of Silverpelt were silent and did not even offer any scrap of pity. They just watched. Watched and did nothing.

She wanted to gag when Flamesoul stretched his neck forward to lay his head beside hers. "This is for your own good, Rosethorn – stop struggling," Flamesoul meowed softly.

Rosethorn didn't let up in her defense. Flamesoul's emerald eyes flashed with rage as she twisted one of her own forepaws around and scored them across his chest. But he didn't falter in his own battle.

She felt something hard and warm brush against her fur. She let out a silent gasp as she realized what it was. It fought just as hard as Rosethorn to find what it wanted. It was hungry, and it demanded to be fed! It demanded to be satisfied, demanded to have its cravings fulfilled! Rosethorn could almost hear the little demons that lurked within it scream out cheers for their owner. One thousand hungry little voices, speckled with evil and cruelty. _Give us a home, Flamesoul! Let us grow into big cats so we can repeat the sins of our fathers and mothers! Give us a mother, Flamesoul! We want Rosethorn to be our mother! _

"Can't you see how much I love you, Rosethorn?" Flamesoul asked curiously as they wrestled one another in a frantic battle of desire and disgust.

Her struggles were weakening. Flamesoul was stronger. He was more stamina. More endurance. He was a tom and had stronger and quicker reflexes than she did... But she couldn't give up. Not now...

Without meaning to, Rosethorn suddenly flipped through her mind and found one of the most meaningful things Thorntail had ever said to her. It was his first piece of advice...just after he had rescued her from Runningstar. _If you just sit there and don't say anything, it makes cats think that they can take advantage of you. _

Was she going to allow a tom to dominate her once more? Was she going to be sent back into that dimension of terror where every tom had dark intentions and every she-cat was too good for her to make connections with? Was she going to allow a cat to slither his way within her once more?

No...no...no... She couldn't! She _wouldn't! _

With a sudden burst of strength, Rosethorn was able to roll onto her back, the best defensive maneuver. "_NEVER AGAIN_!" she howled more to herself than to Flamesoul, and then she kicked the flame-colored tomcat right into the stomach. And just as she had kicked Applefur in the sandy hollow earlier that day, Flamesoul was pushed away from her and went skidding across the flowerbed.

He fell onto his flank, but in an instant he was back on his paws – as Rosethorn. Flamesoul crouched low and stared up at her, his eyes narrowed into tiny hateful slits. He let out a soft hiss that sounded much more like one that a snake would make than a cat. "You're my precious," he murmured as if in a trance. "Nobody is going to take you away from me...Especially not some pathetic _river-rat_!"

When she had been an apprentice and had tried in vain to fight against her mentor, she had been battling for her claim as StarClan's mate, to be closer to them than any cat. She had had fought to not betray them.

But StarClan hardly crossed her mind now. They had betrayed her long ago; she no longer cared for them. It was Thorntail they kept on flickering in her mind. The tom had defended her against all odds, had been there for her when no other cat had... She was his mate. She had to stay loyal to him! She couldn't betray Thorntail. She belonged to _him_ now!

Or...or did she? She had once belonged to StarClan, right? Or...had she? Was she Flamesoul's? No...She wasn't. Then who did she belong to?

She answered her own question with a thunderous caterwaul. "I don't _belong_ to anyone! Not to StarClan, not even to Thorntail, and _especially not to you_! Kittypets have owners, not Clan cats!"

Flamesoul almost seemed to scoff, but before he could say anything to contradict her Rosethorn scored her claws across his face! She felt her thorn-sharp talons dig into his fur, and then into his flesh...a tingly sensation rose from her claws when she dug them into Flamesoul, but it disappeared the instant she tore them out. Flamesoul let out a kitten-like mewl of pain, and Rosethorn was just able to see a flash of crimson blood before Flamesoul bowed his head low and began to furiously rub his paw against the injury. Rosethorn blinked in awe as she saw the blood slither down his cheek and onto the ground with a _plop!_

She had hurt him! Rosethorn's jubilance was cut short as she realized that she hadn't hurt him enough. Soon enough he would see that his wound was inadequate, and then he would come at her again. She was now in such a weakened state, and exhausted. If he wanted to, he could take her easily now. Take her and do whatever he wanted...

Fear and instinct told her to run while he was distracted. Run, yowl, and get some cat to help you. But...something kept her paws neatly in place. But it wasn't terror this time, for it was terror that was yowling at her to run.

For a few flaps of a hummingbird's wings, she just stared at her mentor, her heart pounding in her chest. For a moment she was completely numb and void of any emotion... But that ended quickly. For then her body almost seemed to tense as if preparing for the whirlwind of rage that it was about to exhibit. Something that had been lying dormant for seasons seemed to suddenly ignite. It sent burning flames of hatred surging through her body as she stared at her injured mentor, the memories coursing through her mind.

She almost felt her body shrink and she knew she felt the sensation of her full name slip through her claws, as _she turned into Rosepaw once more. The trees, the dandelions and the blood on her chest seemed to waft into a mist before it was gone altogether. In its place Rosepaw found herself in the confines of her den. Her fur was fluffed out like a cloud, and she bunched her muscles together and pressed herself hard against the earth as if that would hide her. But the emerald eyes fixed onto her coldly, and she could just see cruel lips curl into a snarl. _

_She didn't know what happened then. _

_But in an instant, he was on her, placing his paws onto her shoulders to weaken her struggles. _

_But struggle she did! Rosepaw hissed and fought, her tiny five-moon old body wrestling against the cat that was superior in strength and stature. She hissed and fought, and one of her flailing paws even was able to rake across his flank in a battle between her strength and his. _

_It wasn't much of a battle. _

_She was tiny, mousey, and almost wiry. She was so little...she was so weak. He had the muscles and the greater height and weight...and he had so much determination to use the hot, swollen and demanding organ that was so demanding._

_She didn't know how it happened, or when. But at some point their battle of wills landed them onto the mossy-nest of the she-cat. Her struggles weakened, and the kit, not knowing where else to turn used her secret weapon: Her voice! She screeched and howled so much that the echo still rang in the darkest depths of her mind. It rose and fell, only breaking for spasms of sobs that couldn't be contained. She was making so much racket: Surely some cat heard! Surely some cat would come! At least...StarClan would hear her cries! They'd understand! They'd smite Flamesoul for this! They'd punish him! They would! They had to! _

"_Please, Flamesoul!" she cried out. "Please, stop it! No, don't do this! No! Flame-"_

_Rosepaw's screams ceased. Her eyes grew as round and large as full moons as Flamesoul successfully thrust himself into her flesh which tore and bled. The pain was unbearable, and Rosepaw thought that she would die from that – she hoped she would die from the pain alone! The blood she bled stained the nest, the scarlet liquid tinkling down and around Rosepaw's tender paws. _

_Rosepaw's jaws parted into a silent gasp, and for a time that seemed to last for an eternity the only sound she heard were the sounds of her own soft whimpers and Flamesoul's soft purrs and the sound of moss as it was scraped into the air. _

_Now she had done what she had swore to StarClan never to do. Now she was doomed to stay forever in the Place of No Stars without StarClan's loving embrace. She almost felt them abandon her, and she could just scent their scorn and hatred for her. Her paws jerked unwillingly as if to symbolize how she had used those paws to stray from the path of a medicine cat. She had fallen from StarClan's grace. _

_What if there were kits? Kits that would punish Rosepaw during her liftetime so that she wouldn't have to wait for death... _

_The seeds flew through her body. She felt what could've been Flamesoul's kits explore her body, searching for a place to rest. To grow into warriors, so they could repeat the sins of their fathers. And mothers. _

_His thrusts pushed Rosepaw forward and backward was she cried out once more. No! No! This couldn't be happening to her! This kind of thing never happened! StarClan protected their medicine cats! They would never allow this to happen! No! _

The pain of that night – and all the nights that had fallen through it all came welling up into Rosethorn that she almost stumbled off of her paws. She could remember all the sleepless nights that had ensued – and all the nights that had been plagued with dreams. Dreams of rape, murder, blood spilled, revenge, terror... Never a happy dream. Those were for good cats, who listened to their warrior ancestors'. Not for wrong doers. Not for evil cats...

Nothing had ever been stable for Rosethorn. Her father, Crimsonspirit had died just before Rosethorn's mentor had begun. ThunderClan hadn't been able to protect her Flamesoul – and they hadn't ever been able to protect her from anything since. Streamstar had betrayed her to Flamesoul, sacrificing her own daughter to his wrath.

The only thing that she had been able to count on in life was Thorntail. He alone had protected her. He alone had loved her and hadn't changed his views on her after she told him the secret that she had swore never to speak again. He was her ice...He was her fire... He was her warrior! He had tried to protect her from Flamesoul – and he alone had tried to warn her of what he might do. He alone had seen what Flamesoul's plans were!

First Flamesoul had raped her, viciously forcing himself within her. And...and now, Flamesoul was trying to keep her from the one tomcat in the forest who kept her safe. Safe _and_ sane!

Flamesoul had taken so much from her. He wasn't going to take anymore! Not now! Not ever! Oh, if only Flamesoul had never been born! If only he had never existed! Then none of this would've happened! Rosethorn would've lived a happy life! If only Flamesoul would _just disappear! _

Disappear...

What had Silverleaf said before? About his own mentor, Goldclaw... '_I just made Goldclaw, who both ShadowClan and the forest as whole couldn't do anything about, disappear.' _He had said. '_For the forest to punish me for that, they're the ones in the wrong. Not me. Don't you think so, Rosethorn?' _

Yes. She agreed with Silverleaf. He had had every right to kill Goldclaw! Goldclaw had been cruel! He had left both physical and emotional scars on his apprentice that had carried into Silverleaf's warrior hood!

Silverleaf continued: '_Happiness only exists off the misery of others._'

Flamesoul had gotten happiness and pleasure off of Rosepaw's misery. Rosethorn had allowed Flamesoul back into the Clan off of this principle. She had thought that if she was miserable, then ThunderClan would be happy...

Why was Rosethorn always the miserable one?!

It was time for another cat to be miserable – another cat to pay for what they had done so Rosethorn could finally be glad! Glad, glad, glad, glad, _glad!_

Silverleaf had had the guts to take revenge on Goldclaw. Why couldn't Rosethorn get her satisfaction from her vengeance against Flamesoul? And she had an advantage – she was a she-cat! Weren't she-cats known to be much more vengeful and conniving than tomcats? Though in the back of her mind the kind medicine cat that she was, was ordering her to just follow through with her first instinct and go back to camp... Tell her Clan, and let the warriors deal with it. Blackshadow would help her out, if ThunderClan didn't believe her. Applefur too - and Applefur could get Sandpelt and Twilightfur in on it... They'd help her! They would!

But Rosepaw's screams of pain and agony from the past were much more powerful than the medicine cat's meek voice!

All of this ran through Rosethorn's mind in a single heartbeat, and when she looked at Flamesoul once more a cold maliciousness wrapped itself around every hair on her pelt. Her blood started to boil and she knew it showed in her eyes! Rosethorn was now near mad with hate. The screams of Rosepaw rang through her mind sliced through any stem of pity that tried to grow. Now that she could morally justify what she was about to do from Silverleaf's words, now that she had her motivation blaring in her mind, now that she cut off the weak medicine cat's voice, she was able to enjoy all the exhilaration that flew through her body as she glared hatefully down at her mentor. Revenge blazed in her eyes, her temper, and she couldn't stop herself from shaking.

Fury of the past and present magnified as she saw emerald eyes glare defiantly up at her as her mentor kneeled before her. Didn't he understand what she had in mind? Oh - yes, yes he did! He just didn't believe that she would be able to go through with it! He thought that she would run away, or break out in sobs like a weak little apprentice - a weak little she-cat! A weak, little helpless cat who couldn't do anything to meet her own needs! Not hunt, not fight, and certainly not kill - and even if she had the ability to kill, certainly her moral standings as a medicine cat wouldn't allow her to do such a thing!

Rubbish.

She took a step towards him, pressing her claws firmly into the earth beneath her paws. She curled her lips into a snarl to show her white fangs. "If you think that I will give in like the weak little apprentice I was and run away from you and hide, think again. That's what Rosepaw would've done," she pointed out, spitting hatefully at her mentor as she did so. "But...you see, Rosepaw died. _For just as surely as you raped her you killed Rosepaw!_ Rosepaw was happy, loyal; curious...she had the makings of a fine medicine cat who would love her whole Clan - In a Clan who would've loved her! You took all of that away from her! You left her as a shell of what she used to be – a shell that was quickly filled! Rosepaw once took after Crimsonspirit, her father – one of the most noble cats ever to tread in this forest. Rosepaw would never even think of grabbing her revenge with her claws! Medicine Cats don't think like that, medicine cats aren't vengeful, medicine cats are noble, honest, and forgiving," she glared down at her mentor her heartbeat pounding on her rib-cage. "But never fear, Flamesoul, for I no longer take after my father. I no longer am a true medicine cat - StarClan abandoned me, you know. They want pristine porcelain-white medicine cats that are innocent and pure... I'm certainly not that anymre either. So, you ask me, what am I?" she growled even though Flamesoul hadn't asked any question of the kind.

"Good question, O' Great and Honorable Medicine Cat who walks alongside StarClan! Well, you see when a certain maggot raped me, he left an imprint of his personality within my spirit and soul...so now..." She had to stop. The hatred was latching onto her voice so that she could hardly even understand herself. But she wanted Flamesoul to hear! She wanted him to know exactly what he did to her, and she wanted him to feel fear - nightmarish fear! "_Now I am like you!" _she raged, unable to keep from swiping her claws across his face again. And again! And again! "_Heartless!_ I'll never forget, never forgive! I hate you Flamesoul! I hate you for killing Rosepaw, I hate you for raping her – _I hate you for making me what I am_!"

She stopped for a moment, and searched her mind. "All my life, I was always hiding behind some cat," she realized. "First it was Crimsonspirit. Then it was you, before you betrayed me... Now it's Thorntail. '_Oh, Thorntail, save me! Save me!_'" she mocked herself cruelly, her mind so fragmented and overwhelmed with hate that she was unable to think clearly. "Well, for once, I'm not going to need rescued. I'm not going to wait for him to save me. I can do this all by myself! _For_ myself! For _Rosepaw!_

"I was told that StarClan always punishes the wicked," Rosethorn continued. "Well, I can't wait for them to work out some frivolous punishment for you, so I shall do it myself. So, Flamesoul," she rose to her full height, enjoying how the tables had turned. Now Flamesoul was injured and pressing himself against the earth to hide from her. She just cocked her head thoughtfully and glared at him cruelly as she quoted what she had said to herself every night before going to sleep: "What's the most painful, humiliating way to die?" she asked curiously. "Dearest mentor, prepare: For _you're about to find out!" _

_Rose...Crazy_

Thorntail inched closer to the river, his throat as dry as the hottest day in Greenleaf. As he hunched himself over to lap up a few drops of water he vowed revenge against Smallpaw and Rainpaw, the devious little apprentices who had put some of Blueherb's more spicy herbs into his fresh-kill.

He closed his eyes and dipped his head and slowly drank some of the precious liquid. But ThunderClan scent made his eyes round and his ears prick. He looked up from the river, his whiskers twitching curiously. He sniffed the air more carefully and realized that the scent belonged to...Rosethorn.

"Rosethorn?" he called, his tail twitching with curiosity. "Come on out. Honestly, I don't know why you're here so late at night but...Where are you?" he stepped away from the river. "Rosethorn? Rose-"

He broke off as he noticed his mate slowly trudging towards him, her head low to the ground, her tail trailing in the dust. Anxiety overwhelmed him, and he rushed towards her. "Rosethorn, what's wrong?!"

Without waiting for an answer, he pressed his chest against hers and slowly rasped his tongue along her ears. But he stopped with his tongue still hanging from his mouth as he felt something...sticky on his chest. He pulled away from her, and was shocked to see his gray fur...smeared red with blood.

He looked at Rosethorn and realized that she too, had her chest and paws covered with blood though it blended in better with her pelt.

"A-are you hurt?" he stuttered out without thinking. "D-do you want me to go find Blueherb?"

Rosethorn didn't answer right away. She slowly raised her gaze to meet his, and Thorntail's mouth dropped into a gape as he realized how haunted the sapphire orbs were. As he looked at his mate more clearly, he realized how frail she looked to: Almost as if she would fly away if he sneezed!

She seemed to sense his confusion. She opened her mouth, and seemed to have to struggle for words. "I...I...I killed..." she choke out, her voice scarcely over a whisper. Then her eyes rounded as if she had just figured out a shocking secret, and her voice rose into an ear shattering shriek: _"I KILLED FLAMESOUL!"_

* * *

**Rushed ending, I know. And I know that it's weird that Thorntail is by the river in the middle of the night, it seems too coincidental...that's because it is. Lol. Sorry. Very poor story-planning on my part there. **

**I think you'll like the next chapter. It's the grand finale! I hope...there might be two more chapters, but I HOPE the next one is the grand finale! I know I spelled that wrong, shut up! There is some more betrayal, lust (I love that word today. Hrm.), love, and hate coming up! WOOT! **

**Oh, for curious people:**

**Yes, Fanned Chocolate has been running around flaming people's stories claiming that I did it. -rolls eyes- Yeah, whatever. No, I did not tell him to flame anyone's stories. Why are they flaming everyone's stories and blaming it on me, you ask? Simple: They stole bits and pieces from Every Rose Has Its Thorns and burning Roses, Silver Thorns, and put it up in the X-overs sections claiming that THEY wrote it. A helpful reviewer (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent!) pointed out this thievory, so I reviewed their story telling them to take it down. They did and replaced it with some...weird chatty story... But then, as if enraged that I caught them stealing they ran around flaming everyone's stories and claiming that I told them to do it. that's it. **

**Now, Review and you'll get a... a... a... Badgerclaw plushie...**


	30. Chapter 29

**Wow. I was quick with that update, wasn't I? -boos echo throughout the clearing- Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop throwing garbage at me!**

**Anyways, uh...first I'll reply to your reviews from Chapter Title 28 - none from the author's note, I'm afraid...and then a quick briefing, and then you can read, and then you can wipe the blood from your face - for your eyes will surely bleed.**

**Daklotles85- Ah. I'm glad you liked that part. Tiberkit and Baykit were both in the previous chapter. Actually, everyone was. Every single ThunderClan cat - except for Aquamist - had a line. Aquamist gets lines in this chapter, however. Woo hoo!**

**Watersoul - Yes! Yes! Maybe!**

**S. Let. The. Rain Fall (sorry, I got your name wrong, I know. ) - I'm glad you found it funny! **

**mapleleaf - -chuckles- Well, it took me awhile, but I finally updated. **

**Aquamist's loyalty - -glances at pen name- Yikes! Did I steal your name by accident? Sorry! Anyways, I do believe cats have nostril hair. lol. **

**spottedmoon - No, she didn't overcome her fears in the last chapter. She overcomes her fears in THIS Chapter. I hope you love it! **

**Cloudfire - Yes, it was supposed to be silly. Just plain almost-nonstop silliness to start it off, and it made the whole scene with Flamesoul seem all the darker, didn't it? I also wanted to give every single ThunderClan cat a last...oh, you'll see. **

**Dragon-Star155 - Thanks for beliving me! And I hope this chapter is long enough...22 pages. But...it'll seem really short. There is like, no break between the action. Oops.**

**Strangefur - I actually knew that about the grammar thing, but when I was writing I wanted to make sure that you all knew that Rosethorn was still speaking, and not Flamesoul. Well, I fixed it either way. lol. And you know, you are the only one who commented on the maybe-maybe not incest. lol. Oh, and notice in this chapter where Streamstar says Twilightfur was hunting. -shrugs- Flowers in the Attic (the book.) has corrupted my mind, sorry. (A brother and sister hook up in that thing. Stupid romantic incestuous relationships...) **

**Mooncloud's Courage - SHHHHH!!! lol. **

**Swanfeather - Happens to me sometimes. Thanks for the review!**

**Spottedfeather - Thank you! -bows- **

**Dawnfeather -OMG! I forgot! You see, when I first told you a few weeks ago that I wasn't going to use the name Ebonypool, I had planned on naming her Ebonywing. But Ebonypool grew on me...and... I'll credit you at the end of this chapter, okie-dokie? I'm sorry! Thanks for not being mad! -huggles- **

**lmblovesmilk - I was actually thinking of that song 'We're not gonna take it anymore' or something when I was writing it. Creepy... oO Oh, you'll know the betrayal when you see it. Anyways, I waited two weeks to update. What kind of torture was that? -blushes- I'm sorry...**

**Squirrelflightlover - I'll tell you right now that Shadenight doesn't try to do anything. In this chapter, anyways. Oh, I hope you like this chapter! I do! **

**Oceanwind - Wow, you people HATE flamesoul, don't 'ya? **

**Starsnow of EveRclan - Twilightfur? Who's she so much like? Oh, I like Twilightfur too. Actually, when I'm done with this trilogy...I plan on making one about Twilightfur - and Silverleaf too, of course. -chuckles- Maybe you'll like it. It'll be about her origins and stuff...she'll get more spotlight later, I think. I didn't bring in a ShadowClan cat into Thunderclan for no reason... I do do some things for no reason, though. Like Badgerclaw's crush on Twilightfur...not needed. Well, I'm rambling now...so...yeah. Thanks for reviewing! lol.**

**GoldenFox13 - Thank you! I hope you like it. Be happy - I mean, it's the final chapter of this installment, but the story isn't over yet. **

**Pearla.H.Sweden - I hoped you guys would like the breakdown...I did my best. Thanks!**

**Peachfoot - -chuckles evilly- you'll find out.**

**tawnyleaf - Maybe... **

**Now...why haven't I been updating, you all ask? No, I didn't die. I've just been watching the Phycho Movies (Phycho I, II, III, and IV) again, and again, and again. Seriously, almost every day I've been inviting a friend over, and I'd have a marathon with them. I'm sorry, I'm just obsessed... I get obsessed with things. lol. -huggles Norman Bates- AHHH!!! NormaN bates, not NormA Bates! Norman, get your mother out of here! (Only people who've seen the Phycho movies would get that terrible, terrible joke.) Actually, I make a few nods to Phycho in this chapter. Rosethorn says "Thorntail! Oh, StarClan, Thorntail! Blood! Blood!" once. In the first Phycho Movie, Norman says "Mother! Oh, GOD mother! Blood! Blood!" Yeah... seriously, blame Alfred Hitchcock. lol. **

**I'm not really that happy with this chapter. Not emotional enough, not descriptive enough, too corny...I don't know. I hope you like it, though. It goes really, really, REALLY fast though. A lot happens in 22 pages._ A lot!_ But I am a little proud of the conversation about scars that a certain pair of cats have at the end...I think I did good on that. I could be wrong...well...**

**Enjoy,**

**

* * *

**The blue moon floated in the sky, shedding its chilling silver light onto the scarlet pelt of the frail cat beneath it. However, Thorntail had difficulty discerning the glinting moon from the round, terrified sapphire eyes of the ThunderClan medicine cat as her voice rose into a pitiful shriek that fell through the air like a rock through ice: 

"_I KILLED FLAMESOUL_!"

The words seemed to ring in his ears for moons before he was able to grasp the full meaning of them. Thorntail felt his jaw drop in shock. Rosethorn killed? Rosethorn killed her mentor? Rosethorn, innocent, pure Rosethorn spilled the blood of another? No...no...no...she wouldn't! _No! _That was impossible!

Without orders, Thorntail's eyes lowered down to his spiritual mate's chest. Her pelt was always as crimson as blood... But he couldn't deny the darker shadow smeared across it, nor could he deny the stickiness on his own pelt from when he had wrapped himself around her. And...the scent! It was practically rolling in his nostrils! Flamesoul... Blood...Flamesoul's blood...

Rosethorn lowered her muzzle into the earth, her shoulders sagging between sobs. "I-I killed Flamesoul with these claws…" As she spoke, Thorntail noticed the glittering red liquid streaking off of them. "I killed him…"

It was as obvious as the river was wet what had happened. But still, Thorntail just couldn't wrap his mind around even the thought that Rosethorn would kill anyone! This was the cat who had pleaded for Silverleaf's life – after the effeminate pearly tomcat had tried to murder _her!_ Besides, at the moment, as she sat limply before him, frail enough to knock over with a sneeze, he didn't even think that she would have the physical strength to kill her Clanmate either.

"W-what do you mean you killed him?" Thorntail asked, his voice shaking more than he had wanted it to.

The medicine cat sniffed, and raised her eyes to meet his curious blue gaze. Her own sapphire eyes clouded with shame, and she quickly looked away. "I mean I murdered him…" she rasped.

Rosethorn had murdered Flamesoul... Thorntail found himself having mixed feelings about this. The thoughts '_Oh no! Rosethorn killed her mentor! This is terrible!' _And '_Woo hoo! Rosethorn killed her mentor! This is great!' _blared in his mind at the same exact time.

He worked through the jungle of the mangled contradicting thoughts, and finally was able to work out that since Rosethorn seemed so...frail...he had to be the strong one in the situation. He had to be the sane one.

"What happened?" Thorntail growled, pressing his gray fur against hers, ignoring the blood that seeped onto his pelt. Rosethorn wouldn't have killed Flamesoul for no reason. And he was pretty sure he knew what would bring Rosethorn to spill another cat's blood.

When the medicine cat didn't answer, Thorntail pressed harder. "What in the name of StarClan happened?!"

"What happened?" Rosethorn echoed, raising her head. Her pupils enlarged, and she seemed to stare blankly at something that was just over Thorntail's shoulder. "He's crazy…"

"Who's crazy? Flamesoul?"

The she-cat nodded blankly. "H-he must be crazy to say such a thing!"

Thorntail held back a hiss of fury. Rosethorn wasn't really telling him anything! But he knew better than to show his frustration to her. She was troubled enough. "What'd he say?" He asked, feeling his claws dig into the earth beneath his paws. He didn't know what 'crazy' thing Flamesoul had said, but he could take a good guess!

Rosethorn's eyes snapped towards him, and Thorntail saw blue fire flash in their depths. He leapt away from her, afraid that he might actually be burned if he stayed where he was. "He…he said that…he said that I couldn't…I couldn't…I couldn't see you anymore! He must be crazy to suggest such a thing!"

Thorntail felt his eyes round. Flamesoul knew – _had known_ – about Rosethorn and him?

Rosethorn continued, her voice quivering as much as her body. "He…he's helped ThunderClan and my mother a lot… He-he saved Icepelt and Baykit's lives… and…he did teach me some new things…and…I'm grateful for that…but that doesn't mean that he owns me… He…had no right to tell that I had to stay away from you! I don't belong to him! He doesn't own me!"

Thorntail's heart was pounding so hard in his rib cage he thought it might break out. "Did-did he do anything to you!?" he growled, thinking of Rosethorn's bleak apprentice days.

She hesitated for a heartbeat. Finally she shook her head. "He tried...But...he…he wouldn't have gotten the chance. I could've run from him Thorntail. I could've. He had the intention to…do that…to me again…but…I kicked him really hard…and he was injured…I could've run back to camp! But I didn't…" The fur along Rosethorn's back started to bristle. "I hate him, Thorntail! I hated him so much I couldn't stand it anymore! That's all I remember...that's all...I can't remember much more, it's all blackened. But...when I did come to, and I realized what I was doing...he was lying on the ground, and I was standing in a pool of his blood…"

Rosethorn's eyes hardened, and she leapt away from Thorntail, her tail lashing and her lips curled into a snarl. "I just wanted him to disappear!" she howled. "I never wanted to see him again! I thought to myself… If Flamesoul had never been born…if he had never existed…wouldn't that be wonderful?" She looked down at her paws and shuffled them, tossing a cloud of brown dust into the air. As it whisped away, she fixed Thorntail with an icy glare, spitting at him as if he had been the one who had wronged her so.

"But he didn't disappear!" she cried out, swiping her blood-stained claws into the air as if she saw her mentor standing right before her. "He just lied there! He just lied there and kept bleeding! And bleeding! And ble-eeeding..." Her words cracked as she finished, and she once again seemed to break, and the medicine cat threw herself onto her side. Her body seemed to shrink as she sobbed, "Oh, great StarClan, I killed him... Thorntail! Oh, StarClan, Thorntail! Blood! _Blood!"_

Rosethorn was hysteric now. Thorntail's heart ached as he saw the fire that had flared in her eyes just moments ago burn out, leaving nothing but the ashes of despair. The ThunderClan cat dug up the earth beneath her paws that had been watered from the river, and flung it into the air. The brown specks landed on Thorntail's pelt, but he hardly noticed. His heart ached in two... One was so sympathetic, and hurt to see the cat he loved in such pain...

But the other was aroused. How was it that Rosethorn could be so sensual even when she was covered with blood, and losing her mind? Since her fur had been blood-red from birth, the actual crimson liquid just gave her gorgeous pelt a sleek sheen. RiverClan cats were known for their beautiful pelts kept slick and shiny from the water they swam in, but they offered no competition to the blood-stained fur of Rosethorn. And her eyes...her glittering sapphire eyes that flashed with every emotion under the rainbow: red hot hatred of her mentor, ice-blue worry for that same cat, chilling terror...and golden love for the cat that stared at her with thoughtful eyes of his own as he let his cheap, erotic desires slither into his mind.

Thorntail shook himself, and deliberately looked away from his temptation. The emotion that was making his fur burn was the same thing that had hurt Rosethorn in the first place! Oh! How could he even think of such things now, after seeing what temptations such as those had done to Rosethorn in the first place?!

"_But it's his fault!_"

The screech sent a wave of surprise through Thorntail's body. Without meaning to, he found his gaze resting back on Rosethorn. The medicine cat's eyes were glittering with rage as she stared at him. Her fangs, also covered with blood, were bared and Thorntail noticed that her muscles were bunched together as if she were ready to pounce.

Rosethorn scoffed at him, and then raised her eyes to the silver warriors of StarClan gliding through the ebony ocean above them. "He promised!" she hissed. "He promised he would never do anything like that again! He swore he wouldn't! He came at me again, after _promising by StarClan_ that he wouldn't!" She paused for a moment, fluttering her eyelids closed. For a single instant, a cloud of calm seemed to cover both cats in a sweet embrace, but Rosethorn quickly chased it away.

"_I HATE HIM_!" her cry ripped through Thorntail's soul, and he quickly made a dash to put the pieces back together, but Rosethorn was not finished yet. "_I HATE HIM TO DEATH!_"

Her voice chilled Thorntail to his bones. If he had ever heard a louder, more emotional cry it had been his own silent one that had only rang through his own mind after his brother's death.

Loud...so loud... Too loud.

Thorntail's nostrils flared and his ears pricked. The scent of a Clanmate wafted into his nostrils, and horror filled him as he heard startled mews of some of late-night RiverClan hunters. If Rosethorn yowled like that again, they would be able to pinpoint their location... Thorntail was in no mood to deal with his Clanmates, and he doubted Rosethorn would be too keen on the matter either.

"Calm down, Rosethorn," he mewed softly, gambling to touch her shoulder with his tail. That simple act made his heart thump with excitement and he felt like lightning was shooting into the hairs on his pelt. Couldn't he even_ touch_ her?!

But Rosethorn didn't seem to hear his plea. She went on, softer than before, but still far too loud. "Oh, what is ThunderClan going to do to me? What will my mother do? I killed their medicine cat! I killed my mentor! I'm a traitor to them! A traitor to the warrior code!"

"Calm down, Rosethorn," he soothed, his eyes flashing about to make sure none of his Clanmates were coming to see who was making the racket.

Again, Rosethorn turned death ears to him. She went on, "But…but…he_ deserved_ to die!"

Such cold words. For a heartbeat, Thorntail thought that he saw Rosethorn's eyes flash leaf-green, and her pelt turn silvery-gray. But the illusion dissipated in an instant, and it wasn't long before he saw his dark ginger love standing before him once more. His loud, attention-grabbing love.

"I said calm down!" he spat, harsher than he intended. He instantly felt apologetic, for Rosethorn flattened her ears against her head and stared at him as if she expected him to lunge at her like Flamesoul would and force himself into her right then and there.

If only she knew that he had contemplated doing just that.

But he couldn't worry about his subconscious desires at the moment. Rosethorn was far too weak right now. Some cat had to be the strong, sturdy one.

He let out a sigh, and tried to measure the facts in his head. He tried to fight through the emotional tension that was lying heavy on his shoulders, so he could think about matters logically. It was hard, considering he was used to just making all his troubles go away by fighting them off...but as it was, Rosethorn's problem had already disappeared. But the consequences that would follow her action couldn't be gotten rid of by a swipe of a claw.

He knew that a few moons ago he would've just left Rosethorn where she stood and told her to deal with the problem himself. How many times had his mates from other Clans come crying to him, telling him all about how their Clan leader had found out about her forbidden 'love'? And how many times had Thorntail laughed at their stupidity, and left them in the dust telling them that they should've been more careful? But the thought of leaving Rosethorn didn't even cross his mind now. They were in this together. For some peculiar reason, he felt as if he were swimming through the same cold torrent of troubles that Rosethorn was, even though technically the matter didn't concern him.

Rosethorn was right. About a few things. ThunderClan would be angry, to say the least about Flamesoul. Flamesoul had only been in the Clan for a few days, but Thorntail had seen how much the ThunderClan cats respected him when they had backed down at the border from the ginger tom's orders. Whatever Flamesoul had done, no cat could deny that he had been excellent healer at physical injuries.

But...maybe they could cover up his death. Maybe Thorntail could use his scent and make it look like Flamesoul had been attacked by a RiverClan battle patrol. What could ThunderClan do? WindClan was running around on their territory, ShadowClan wanted to steal some – Streamstar wouldn't be mouse-brained enough to try to mess with RiverClan too, even if they had killed her medicine cat.

But...

Did Rosethorn really kill Flamesoul? Flamesoul was a big, strong, sturdy cat. Could Rosethorn, with just the feeble knowledge of fighting that Blackshadow and Applefur had offered her earlier that day, really have the physical ability to murder her mentor?

And if Flamesoul wasn't dead...

Urgency made Thorntail's heart quiver. "Rosethorn," he meowed quickly, "did...did you kill Flamesoul? Did you really kill Flamesoul? For real?! You're _positive_ on this?"

At first, Rosethorn nodded vigorously as if it was an unshakable fact. But then, she seemed to think the better of it, and hesitated for a heartbeat. Finally, she mewed shakily, "B-but...there was all this blood...And...And...I called his name over and over 'Flamesoul! Flamesoul!' but he didn't answer..."

"You're a medicine cat, Rosethorn. You of all cats should know best that he might've just passed out from loss of blood," he kept his voice neutral. He didn't want to worry Rosethorn anymore than he had to. He was about to ask if she had actually checked to see if Flamesoul had been breathing or not, but he knew she hadn't. In her panicked state, she had probably just saw the unmoving body of her mentor, assumed the worst, and searched Thorntail out.

"Rosethorn," he mewed quietly, "I-I think you need to go talk to your Clan leader."

Panic flickered in her eyes. "B-but what if he _is _dead? What if he's alive? What would I do?"

"Think, Rosethorn. Whether he is dead or alive, you should go find your mother and tell her what happened. She _is_ your mother, isn't she? And she's the Clan leader. And...and doesn't she know what he did to you? If you go to her now and tell her what you did – and what _he _tried to do – she'll forgive you. If he turns out to be dead Streamstar won't care and will just cover you with motherly licks to calm you down. And if he turns out to be alive...after what he tried to do to her daughter again...surely she wouldn't allow him to stay, _right?" _

"My mother..." Rosethorn spoke the words like they were a foreign tongue. For a moment, Thorntail wondered if she had forgotten who had given birth to her, and was about to remind her about Streamstar, but finally Rosethorn let out an assenting grunt. "Yes...you're right! Streamstar _will_ listen to me! She'll understand! She knows what he did to me as an apprentice. She's the one who chased him out the first time. She _saw_!"

"My point exactly," Thorntail purred, relieved that Rosethorn was beginning to regain some sanity. He glanced at the river, and at the ThunderClan territory on the other side. "Let's go."

He expected Rosethorn to step towards him, but she stayed where she was, glancing worriedly at the ThunderClan border, and then at him. "No," she meowed at last.

"Rosethorn, you have to speak to your mother before any of your Clanmates find his body."

"_I_ have to speak to my mother," Rosethorn mewed. "Th-Thorntail, I don't want you to come. I mean...If you come with me to ThunderClan, we might end up seeing Flamesoul's cor – I mean, body. I-I don't want you to see that. I don't want you to see what I did."

"Rosethorn, I don't care about th-"

"I _don't _want you to see him! Let me do this on my own." Rosethorn's tone gave no room for argument. "And I can't very well make Streamstar believe me if I have my forbidden love at my shoulder, can I?" she seemed to try to let out a purr, but all it was was a peculiar choking sound.

Thorntail ignored that funny noise, and instead stared blankly at the ginger she-cat. She had called him her forbidden _love_. She had only told him that she had loved him once before – and when she had told him, it had been when there was hate flaring in her eyes as he had experimented to see what would happen if he did try to mate with her, for he had wanted to find out about Rosethorn's past.

"No, but... I..." What could he say? Rosethorn was right. She had to do this on her own. As much as he would suffer, he knew he had to let her go.

"Very well," he meowed reluctantly. He ran his tongue along her ear. Sparks flew from the ear and leapt onto his tongue. He leapt back in surprise. Rosethorn jumped too, and looked at him in awe. _Had she felt it too?_

Thorntail caught a single wiff of Rosethorn's fear scent, and terror flashed in her eyes for a single heartbeat as she looked at him, but it died quickly. Thorntail stared blankly at her, not sure what the emotion that was glittering in Rosethorn's eyes was. And...Why was her pelt prickling? Had he made her mad?!

"I'm...I'm sorry...," he apologized, giving his chest a self-conscious lick.

"For what?" Before he could answer, Rosethorn jerked her head away as if she was ashamed of something. "I...I should go." She mewed. She started for the direction of the stepping stones. Thorntail longed to join her, but he heeded her request and sat on his haunches to wait.

"I'll stay here," he mewed. "If...if anything happens, you come find me."

Rosethorn flicked her tail to tell him that she had heard, and then she disappeared into the shadows of the ThunderClan border.

_Thorn...Gray_

Rosethorn streaked through the forest, leaping at every single snap of a twig. The trees that had once offered her protection and a feeling of safety did nothing but add to her terror. She looked at them fearfully. She had lived in the forest the entirety of her life, but yet all the trees now looked unfamiliar and ghoulish. She was careful to not step on any of their roots for she was afraid that they would wrap around her paws and drag her beneath the earth.

Her own fear scent slithered around her nostrils. She tried to calm herself by thinking about what Streamstar would do when she knew. Streamstar would side with her, of course. Streamstar had thought that Flamesoul had truly changed. But now that it was obvious that Flamesoul hadn't changed a bit, Streamstar would chase him out and never think twice about him again.

Yes, that was what would happen. Of course that was what would happen. For sure. Undoubtedly. Streamstar loved her only daughter, the kit that she had nursed, and the last remnant of Crimsonspirit. She'd get rid of Flamesoul. She would...right?

Rosethorn tried to forget her morbid thoughts. Instead, she deliberately thought about Thorntail. What had that shock been? The one that had wracked her all the way down to her bones? She had gotten it before, but this seemed to be more powerful than ever. And why, even in the midst of all this tragedy, did her heart still thud with happiness whenever she saw – or even thought about – Thorntail.

Rosethorn stumbled to a halt as she felt a part in her fear scent and instead was able to smell the musty tang of ThunderClan cats. She recognized them in an instant. Shrewtail, Aquamist, and, yes, even Blackshadow!

Rosethorn looked around wildly. These were her Clanmates, her kin. She knew she should trust them, especially Blackshadow...but... for a peculiar reason, instinct whispered in her ear that she should hide. Instinct had saved her earlier. Rosethorn leapt into a shadow, untouched by the moonlight.

It wasn't long before the three groggy ThunderClan cats came into view. Rosethorn guessed that they had just woken up, because all of them seemed to be trying to blink the sleep from their eyes.

"Hurry up, you two!" Shrewtail growled over his shoulder, fixing the two cats with a piercing amber glare. "The sooner we find her, the sooner we can go to sleep!"

"I have to make dirt..." Aquamist whined.

"The faster we find Rosethorn, the sooner you can make dirt!" Shrewtail snapped. "Aquamist, Streamstar wouldn't have woken us up to find her if it wasn't important."

"So our medicine cat decides to disappear again, and I have to suffer?" Aquamist groaned. "Ugh."

"Welcome to the world of the warrior, Aquamist," Rosethorn heard Blackshadow's voice. Though he was playful, she could tell from the tone of his voice that something was troubling him. Maybe it was her disappearance. Maybe Applefur had threatened to kill him again.

She looked closely for him. She could scent him, but she couldn't see him. Finally she noticed a pair of amber eyes floating in midair. She blinked, and looked even closer. For a single instant she noticed a faint outline, but other than that, Blackshadow was excellently concealed. His jet-black pelt made him almost invisible in the darkness of night.

Aquamist groaned again. "If Streamstar wants to find her daughter so bad, she should go out and look for her! Why should I?"

"She's your leader," Blackshadow growled. "In _some_ Clans, that means that you have to do what she says."

"Besides," Shrewtail continued, "she_ is_ out looking for her. Aquamist, when we left camp, didn't you see her running towards Twilightfur? I think they're going to go out looking for Rosethorn themselves." Shrewtail let out a purr. "You're groaning about this so much, Aquamist. From all this complaining, it's not hard to tell why Streamstar didn't order you to go on that warrior's mission to ShadowClan."

"Warrior's mission?" Aquamist snorted. "If that's a warrior's mission then I'm a flaming squirrel! And I'm not," Aquamist added quickly. "I mean, Gingerpaw isn't a warrior. How come she got to go?"

"Because, technically, the warriors are all supposed to look like apprentices, otherwise the plan won't work, will it? That's why only the youngest of warriors are going." Blackshadow sighed. "And besides, sometimes Gingerpaw acts more like a warrior than you."

"What? That _rogue_?!"

"I don't know who's more immature. You, Ebonypool, or Morninglight." Shrewtail sighed. "I've never seen a whole litter of cats refuse to leave their kittenship behind."

Aquamist didn't seem to hear the two toms. "How come Beakclaw and Morninglight got to raid ShadowClan and I didn't?!"

"They're just out attacking a night-hunting patrol, it isn't a raid," Blackshadow pointed out. "After all, ShadowClan is the only Clan that has those night-hunts..."

"Oh! I wanted to go! I'm small enough to look like an apprentice!"

"Mature enough too," Blackshadow mumbled. "Look, if you want Streamstar to put you on important missions like that, why don't you act like you can handle them?"

Aquamist let out an indignant hiss. "Morninglight was right about you! You are an evil cat, Blackshadow!"

"Yes, I'm evil. Evil! Evil! I'm evil to the core!" Blackshadow hissed cheekily.

"Notice how she seems to have woken up," Shrewtail purred, nudging the black outline that might've been Blackshadow affectionately. The two toms purred together above Aquamist's hissing, and they padded off. Their voices drained away into nothing.

Rosethorn slipped out of the shadows, her mind aching with curiosity. What mission had Streamstar sent Morninglight, Beakclaw, and Gingerpaw on? A raid on a ShadowClan hunting patrol?

And more importantly why had Streamstar sent out patrols to look for her?! Had she just been worried about her daughter? Or had she found Flamesoul's body?!

Rosethorn, concluding that Streamstar wasn't in camp from the patrol's banter, swerved directions. She had to find Streamstar, and the sooner, the better.

Heading deeper into her home territory, she soon picked up her mother's scent. It mingled with Twilightfur's for a long while, but at some point the two she-cats must've decided that they could cover more ground if they split up, for that is just what the scent did. Rosethorn paused and made sure she was following her mother's scent trail, before she continued on.

Strangely, now, the fear seemed to have dissipated. As did all the rage she had had built up inside her earlier. Instead, Rosethorn found a peculiar feeling of numbness wrap itself around her.

Preferring that over those more destructive feelings, Rosethorn ignored it, and focused all her energy onto following her mother's scent trail. Streamstar had covered a lot of ground. Rosethorn found herself wandering in circles often, but even so, she soon found herself in Snake Rocks.

The scent was fresh.

Rosethorn, ignoring the danger of adders, rushed forward, her paws thudding against the earth like thunder. Streamstar's scent was getting stronger...and stronger! She leapt over one of the great boulders that dotted that patch of territory, and landed a mere tail-length from her mother.

The ThunderClan leader must've heard her land on the earth, for she whipped around instantly. Rosethorn found herself staring into the blue eyes of her mother.

Streamstar narrowed her eyes coldly, and Rosethorn wondered what the leader knew. She saw accusation glint in the ivory-furred cat's eyes, and Rosethorn flinched. Instantly, all those emotions came welling up. They came so quickly that Rosethorn nearly fell off of her paws. The rage, the agony, the guilt, the fear...

From the glaring look in Streamstar's eyes, Rosethorn knew that her mother had seen Flamesoul. She knew everything.

The whirlpool of emotions almost whipped Rosethorn all around Snake Rocks. She felt lightheaded enough to float off into the sky, but yet her paws felt so heavy she doubted she could even lift them off the ground. Her heart was thudding so loudly that she knew Streamstar could hear it one moment, but the next it seemed to almost disappear entirely. She felt as if some cat had just tossed a heavy boulder of guilt onto her shoulders, and she had trouble keeping her balance to stand.

What had she been thinking?! Speak to Streamstar? Rosethorn had just killed Streamstar's medicine cat! How could she even_ try_ to defend her actions? Whatever Flamesoul had tried to do, it ended with what Rosethorn_ had_ done: murder!

"M-mother," Rosethorn's voice broke into a rasp, "I-I'm sorry. It's…it's because he came at me so quickly… I was scared! So scared…"

Streamstar's eyes narrowed into thoughtful slits. She seemed to weigh the situation in her head for a moment, before she finally ran her tongue along Rosethorn's ear. Though Rosethorn didn't get the same shock that she got when Thorntail rasped his tongue along her fur, she still got an almost-overwhelming feeling of relief.

It filled every part of her body from the tip of her tail to the tip of her nose as Streamstar meowed, "I know."

As if to comfort her daughter more, Streamstar pressed herself affectionately against Rosethorn's side, white and scarlet pelts mingling as one for a few heartbeats. Rosethorn blinked thoughtfully, and twisted her neck so she could dig her muzzle into Streamstar's chest. As much as Thorntail could protect her and made her happy, there was simply no substitute for what a mother could do for her daughter. She felt her body shrink. But instead of feeling as Rosepaw, isolated and terrified, she felt as Rosekit against her mother's milky belly. Safe, protected, happy, as if nothing existed that could cause her harm.

But the feeling disappeared as Streamstar continued. "Flamesoul already told me."

Shock made Rosethorn stumbled back in surprise. How was that possible? Flamesoul was dead! She knew! She helped!

But…if he was alive…

Rosethorn's heart lurched. What would Streamstar do to her now? Flamesoul would've told the Clan leader about how his apprentice had tried to kill him! But Streamstar did say that she knew that Flamesoul had come after her so quickly…and Streamstar did acknowledge how frightened Rosethorn had been. How honest had Flamesoul been?

Streamstar blinked thoughtfully. "Anyways, you really shouldn't look so frightened, Rosethorn. You didn't kill anyone. Twilightfur had been out…I think she said she was hunting by the WindClan border…well, anyways, on the way back, Twilightfur found Flamesoul's body. She dragged him back to camp, and I had Ebonypool's first duty as a warrior to her Clan as a warrior to be helping Flamesoul instead of guarding the camp. She would've made a fine medicine cat, Ebonypool. The way she worked so diligently, I actually forgot that I had just given her her _warrior _name. Well, anyways," Streamstar shrugged, "he's perfectly fine now. I had gotten worried about you, so I sent out a few patrols to look for you. I'm surprised they didn't discover you before you were able to find me. I myself got distracted by a giant rabbit and that's how I ended up in Snake Rocks. It's a funny story, actually."

Rosethorn didn't hear any of Streamstar's random banter. Flamesoul…was alive. Bittersweet emotions sunk into Rosethorn's being. She was able to grasp some slight feelings of happiness. After all, she hadn't killed any cat. She had injured one, but hadn't murdered anyone. Now she wouldn't have to be punished too harshly by her mother. She could keep her position in ThunderClan…

But…she _had wanted_ Flamesoul dead! After everything he had done to her she had wanted vengeance! She had wanted to cast him out to the warriors of StarClan! The warriors of StarClan had loved him so much, after all - never punishing him for what he had done! And now he was alive! And he would come after her again! And again! And again! The flame of lust in his soul wouldn't ever burn out!

She could still feel his piercing emerald eyes burn into her fur. She could still feel his hard male organ push into her flesh! The stinging pain, the humiliation, the abandonment from StarClan… it all came lunging forward. Sobs welled up into her throat, and for a few moments she had difficulty breathing.

"He told me what happened," Streamstar repeated, ending her out-of-place story about the rabbit. "He said it was because it was dark, and you hadn't expected to see him, so he had given you a scare." Streamstar's gaze shifted and stared at something over Rosethorn's head, "I think that's why you misunderstood and overreacted the way you did."

_Misunderstood? Overreacted? _He had tried to force himself into her! She hadn't overreacted! She had defended herself!

"_He's lying!"_ Rosethorn spat, digging her claws into the earth beneath her so she could hold herself back from lunging at Streamstar and clawing the truth into her.

Sapphire blue eyes of the white cat clouded with pain, though she still wouldn't stare at her daughter as she mewed, "Rosethorn, calm down, it's really just a misunderstanding."

"_A misunderstanding? _Look at me, mother!" Rosethorn stepped away from Streamstar so the white cat could see her in all her glory. Rosethorn's pelt was ripped and torn from the struggle between her mentor. It was ragged, some of it clumped together into jagged points. "Look at what he tried to do to me! He tried to…Mother, he tried to…he tried to…you know what he tried to do! Look at me, and what do you see?"

The ThunderClan leader only glanced at Rosethorn for a single instant before she looked away once more. "I see a ragged pelt stained with the blood of a cat she tried to murder."

"And why did _she_ try to kill him, Streamstar? Don't you see?!"

Streamstar let out a sigh, and didn't answer directly. "After this one patrol comes back, the problem with ShadowClan will be history in a matter of dawns. ThunderClan will have room to flourish once more." Her white pelt was darkened by shadows, but as she spoke her azure eyes were unusually bright. "Can't we let go of the past and look to the future?"

Rosethorn looked at Streamstar, shocked. Didn't the ThunderClan leader understand that the past is never really past?! It was always there! Rosethorn could always feel it throbbing inside her, coloring her perceptions of the world around her – and controlling them! Didn't Streamstar understand that it wouldn't just _go away?!_

Besides, everything that had happened in the past, the present and the future were blaring in Rosethorn's mind. Flamesoul in the past had forced himself on Rosethorn. Flamesoul, presently, _wanted_ to force himself into her! And in the future, he _would _force himself onto her

Rosethorn finally was able to find her voice. She had to ask the question, the one that would truly show Streamstar's feelings towards her. "And…and you really believe that? You believe him over your own daughter? You…you actually believe him?"

Silence clung to both of their hearts for a few moments. Rosethorn looked meaningfully at her mother, praying to StarClan that Streamstar would see and acknowledge the truth.

At last Streamstar looked at her kit. _Please, please, please, Streamstar, listen to me! _

"I'm willing to believe him."

Rosethorn's legs went numb, and she could swear she felt the sky fall onto her back. _Willing_ to believe him?! Streamstar was willing to believe the cat that had raped her own daughter?!

Betrayal dug into Rosethorn's heart like a thorn. Streamstar was her mother! A father and mentor's love was considered a blessing, the friendship of siblings was considered a jolly rarity, the respect of Clanmates was considered and honor… All of those, throughout life, you weren't guaranteed to have. Lots of fathers never even knew who their kits were, mentors sometimes never found a liking for their apprentices, siblings and Clanmates rivaled one another. But… a mother's love was guaranteed! The moment a mother looked down at her kits she loved them, and would all their lives! A good mother would die for her kit! A good mother would kill what was causing harm to her kit!

In a way, Streamstar's words bit down onto Rosethorn's spirit harder than Flamesoul's attempt earlier that night had been. He had only felt lust for her, not love, so anything _he_ had done was to be expected. But Streamstar had borne her, had cared for her, and, Rosethorn had thought, loved her! Along with Crimsonspirit, too, before he had died.

Streamstar was throwing Rosethorn to Flamesoul – all for the sake of ThunderClan's survival! ThunderClan, ThunderClan, ThunderClan! Wasn't Rosethorn supposed to have some love and affection for her Clan? Wasn't a Clan supposed to protect its inhabitants? Why was ThunderClan always the main reason Rosethorn had to suffer?

Doubts blared in Rosethorn's mind, and fear for the future sunk its fangs into her neck. If she obeyed her mother, and returned to camp now, she'd at least know what would happen. The decision that she was worried she was making too quickly, however, left endless possibilities.

But the only other cat, besides Streamstar, that she had felt so safe and immortal with was Thorntail.

It was time to escape.

Rosethorn's voice quivered, and she fought to keep the screaming in her mind from being voiced as she mewed, "I'm…I'm sorry, mother…but…but…" Sorrow was rising from the depths of her soul, making it even more difficult to speak. But she knew it had to be done. "But…we can only look at the truth that is staring straight at us. I'm not going to lie to myself anymore.

"No matter how hard it is, I'm not looking back," Rosethorn continued. "G-Good bye. ThunderClan isn't a home for me anymore."

Streamstar's jaws parted in shock, but Rosethorn went on. "I don't know where I'm going to go, or what I'm going to do, but I'm never going to fall to Flamesoul again."

Rosethorn turned her back on her mother. She slowly put one paw in front of the other. ThunderClan had betrayed her. Wasn't the entire purpose of being in a Clan to have protection? In exchange for your hard work and life, the Clan protected you! But ThunderClan was just throwing her at Flamesoul's mercy; giving her next to nothing in return…she couldn't stay… She wouldn't!

But…if she left, what would she do? She'd lived her entire life in ThunderClan, and though she had to escape from her mentor, in truth, she didn't want to escape from all her friends. She'd so wanted to see Applefur and Blackshadow's kits grow into warriors! And she was curious to the place Iriskit and Hollowkit would find in their Clan. She wanted to be there for Ebonypool when the half-Clan kits were born! She wanted…she wanted it all! She wanted the warm companionship of Applefur and Blackshadow – she didn't want to let that go! And, standing towering above all, she wanted a mother. She had loved the protected feeling that had washed over her when Streamstar had pressed her lean body against hers.

Streamstar…

Rosethorn hesitated and stole a chance to look behind her. Maybe Streamstar would realize that she was wrong. Maybe the porcelain-furred female would rush towards her daughter, drown her with licks, and then run back to camp to right the wrong she had almost made. Surely she'd see that the only kit of hers, the only kit of Crimsonspirit's, was about to walk out of her life?

She stared around the boulders of Snake Rocks, her eyes finally resting on the spot in which Streamstar had sat just moments before, her heart fluttering in her chest like a butterfly. Maybe she was making too rash of a decision in her announcement to leave ThunderClan. Surely there was some sort of compromise to be made...

But if there was, Rosethorn would never know it.

Streamstar was gone.

Streamstar had left before she even saw her daughter, her closest kin, disappear.

Rosethorn's breath hitched in her throat, and she turned tail and rushed away. Even though she was physically unharmed, every time her paws touched the ground bursts of pain shot through her. She could only describe it as soul cancer, infecting every single hair on her pelt, making each hair feel a different emotion: betrayal, desire, vengeance, anger, wrath, sorrow...

Maybe subconsciously she had known where she had been going, because she soon found herself leaping from stone to stone inside RiverClan territory as she crossed the stepping stones. She finally rested her four paws onto the earth beneath her, and almost instantly Thorntail's scent wafted towards her.

"Rosethorn?"

She jerked her head towards him, a whirlwind of curious emotions whipping around within her heart as she glanced at him. Thorntail?

Throughout the raging storm of feelings that were imbedded into her soul, she was still able to find some protection as she examined him. Thorntail...he had promised that he would wait for her, and he had.

Every single time Rosethorn had been in pain, Thorntail had been there. He had defended her from the fury of Applefur, helped her through the treachery of Spottedlight, chose her over Shadenight, walked her through the confusion of Silverleaf, and had licked the wounds that Flamesoul had left behind.

How come Thorntail, a half-RiverClan half-ShadowClan who had never been able to give his heart and soul to one Clan and one Clan alone, had been able to give her more loyalty than the entire ThunderClan had? ThunderClan, who was known for having the most loyal and brave warriors? How could Thorntail love her, after knowing the entirety of her past – and what she had tried to do to Flamesoul? How come when he looked at her, his blue eyes still lit up as if he were staring at the most beautiful and perfect cat that he had ever met? And why, even through Streamstar's betrayal and Flamesoul's attempts earlier that night, did she feel happiness flood into her spirit as she looked at him?

"Rosethorn, are you okay?" Thorntail asked his eyes filled with concern. _Concern..._

Rosethorn couldn't hold it in anymore. She leapt towards him, and buried her muzzle into his chest. And then she closed her eyes and let his scent wash over her as she sobbed and cried out in pain. She sobbed for the dead Rosepaw, the living Flamesoul, and for the "prospering" Clan that she had been born into, but had never belonged to.

She found herself murmuring soft almost incoherent explanations of what had happened within ThunderClan territory, but she wasn't sure if Thorntail could understand her or not. But whatever he heard, she felt Thorntail's pink tongue rasp along her ear, and his tail run along her side as if he were grooming her with it.

The concern he felt for her, the undying emotions he felt for her – love, maybe? – the safe feeling that he surrounded her with...

_Ever since I was a kit I had been searching... So_ this_ is the place I belong... _

Rosethorn blinked curiously as she felt Thorntail's muscles tense. She stared up at him, wondering what was wrong, but before she could analyze anything too deeply he seemed to leap away from her as if she had blackcough. His eyes were fixed on his paws, as he mewed, "Well...um...erk..." he hesitated for a heartbeat, "I suppose...you're going to need a place to sleep for the night, aren't you?"

Rosethorn suddenly realized how exhausted she felt. "I think so," she admitted. "I-I don't know where though. I can't go back to ThunderClan territory..."

"Let's go find you a place to rest for the night. There's a place in FourTrees – the Great Rock is hollow." Thorntail's eyes strayed to the sky. "It looks like it might rain tonight. We should probably hurry."

_RosexThorn _

Thorntail skidded down the hollow of FourTrees, his paws hardly leaving the surface. He cast a glance behind him to make sure Rosethorn was keeping up, and sure enough, the former-medicine cat of ThunderClan was just a few rabbit hops away.

She noticed that he was eyeing her, and looked curiously at him, her sapphire eyes lighting up. Thorntail gave her a curt nod, but before he could say anything, he felt a small drop of rain fall onto his nose.

He paused to stare at the sky once more, and before he could say 'rain' a whole Clan of rain warriors started to beat against his pelt.

"Well," he called over his shoulder to the troubled she-cat, "we_ almost_ made it."

Rosethorn curled her tail and Thorntail thought that he might've heard a trace of a purr, but it was more or less drowned out by the sound of the beating rain. He bolted down the hillside, eager to retreat into the cave underneath the Great Rock before his gray fur got drenched with the liquid.

He came to a stop just outside of the rock's shadow and waited for the female to catch up. Her pelt was starting to cling to her muscles like a second skin, but her eyes were glowing as if she didn't mind.

He quickly looked up towards the four great oaks, twitching his tail thoughtfully to keep the evil, foul thoughts from creeping into his mind. But he couldn't keep up that charade for long, however, for Rosethorn skidded to a halt beside him.

He just glanced at her, before he started to lead her around the edge of the Great Rock. "I-I know that everyone always thinks that the Great Rock is some sort of big, indestructible thing that is dug into the earth further than the roots of the Great Oak, but that...that isn't the case," he growled, trying to make some sort of conversation. "It's hollow. It's like a giant cave – you'll have a lot of room in it. I think there's probably still some moss in there, too, for a nest."

She looked at him questioningly, so he explained. "I used to take she-cats here so no cat would see us while we..." he trailed off, unsure on whether to go on or not. "While we discussed the weather," he lied.

He jerked his tail towards the narrow opening, and Rosethorn quickly disappeared inside. Thorntail hesitated for a moment, before he followed her.

While Rosethorn started to use her nose to explore the cave, Thorntail stayed by the entrance to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. He knew he had explained it as 'large' but thinking about it now, that was a blatant lie. The moss-nest lay in the center, and there was about one rabbit-hop from it to the walls on every single side. The top of the cave was rounded into an oval shape.

Absolutely no moonlight was able to slip into the den, and, for once, he was happy that he had ShadowClan blood in him – and therefore, ShadowClan eyes. The dark Clan had excellent night vision, much better than even the average cat's. Or so he had been told. Considering he had never had eyes of a ThunderClan cat, he didn't know if they really couldn't see as well.

As dark as it was, however, Rosethorn's sapphire eyes shone like an extra pair of moons. "I smell a faded scent of Shadenight," she mewed absently as she took a whiff of the air. "Did you take her here to 'discuss the weather' often?"

Thorntail flinched at the comment, but his anxiety faded when he saw that instead of anger, Rosethorn was looking at him with soft affection. Thorntail let out a sigh of relief – both for the fact that he wasn't about to be murdered, and for the realization that Rosethorn seemed to be...unusually cheerful, under the circumstances.

He watched as Rosethorn found her way to the surprisingly-intact mossy nest that lay in the center of the cavern. She lowered her head and sniffed it suspiciously, and Thorntail dug his claws into the earth with embarrassment as he saw surprise flutter in her eyes as she caught at least a Clanful of she-cat's scents mixed together.

"I'll go get you some new moss," he meowed quickly, turning to leave.

"It's raining."

"I'm a RiverClan cat. I'm used to the water, aren't I?"

Rosethorn blinked twice, as if she had completely forgotten about Thorntail's Clan. "You are," she meowed absently. "But I don't want you to go."

Before Thorntail could say anything more, she stepped away from the mossy nest, and started to run her tongue along her scarlet fur. Thorntail's heart started to pound in his chest as he noticed the positions she got herself into as she started to cover the rainwater with her own tongue-water. Her head dipped beneath her front legs, and her muzzle literally brushed against Thorntail's favorite part of the female body as she washed her back legs.

Oddly enough, even after she had exiled herself from ThunderClan and had felt the sharp fangs of betrayal bite into her soul; she still seemed to hum a soft melody as she washed. Thorntail had heard it before. It was the same song that almost every queen whispered into her kits' ear as she tried to make them shut up and go to sleep. He didn't know the words – and he doubted Rosethorn knew them either, for she wasn't singing, she was only humming – but it still brought back colorful memories.

He could just see himself lying in the brambly ShadowClan nursery, his mother's white eyes soft and kind as she flicked the tip of his ear with her tail and hummed the same exact melody that Rosethorn was now. Graywhisker beside him... Lightsnow above him... Feeling as if nothing could go wrong, and lives never ended...As if he would always be a kit in the nursery...

Rosethorn knew how to unbury every single tender emotion within him...

Oh, how he wanted her! _He wanted her!_ He wanted her all the more now! He felt the flaming urge leap through his body, tainting his imagination and wants. It was a burning desire that nearly made his soul light aflame.

"Do you think RiverClan will accept me?"

Thorntail's ears pricked and he looked at his desire, startled. Was she actually going to join RiverClan? When had she made this decision? He was taken off guard, so he just said the first thing that came to mind. "You would be a valuable asset to any Clan."

At least it wasn't a lie.

Rosethorn let out a curious mewl, and twirled around nervously as she tried to get comfortable in her new bed, showing her back to him for a brief moment and then instantly showing him her face again. As she twirled, her tail accidentally brushed against Thorntail's cheek, sending the usual jolt of electricity into his flesh.

Thorntail's claws – among other things – flexed. "Yes...yes, that's right. Turn a littlefaster..."

"What'd you say?" Rosethorn stopped her almost-flirtatious spinning. "W-would you mind me in RiverClan?"

"No, no...not at all. Hey, why don't you spin again?"

Rosethorn didn't seem to hear him, and didn't continue her twirls. "It's-it's not like I have anywhere else to go...I don't think I could survive on my own..."

Thorntail suddenly realized the seriousness of this conversation. Diverting his gaze away from her, he waited a few moments for some of the temptations slithering through his mind to fade away a tad before he meowed, "Well...it might take awhile for them to accept you. Probably a few moons – then they'll distract themselves by picking apart some other cat. If you don't mind that..."

"I could deal with anything to be with you."

Thorntail took a step towards her, and dug his muzzle into her flank, enjoying the unnatural warmth that coursed through his body as he made contact with her. "I'll always be with you," he vowed. "I'll never leave your side..."

Thorntail's eyes rounded as he felt_ it_ harden between his legs. Instinct yowled in his ears, giving him indescribably fun, but cruel, ideas. Things to do with Rosethorn – or even _to_ Rosethorn if she wasn't agreeable. His 'little warriors' whirled around within him, somehow sending temptations into his mind. _Flamesoul did it, why can't you? She's weak, Thorntail. She won't be able to fight against you. Take her. Take her now. Make her yours – she's your mate, isn't she? It's high time she started to act like it! Nobody will hear, nobody will care, nobody will ever know..._

Thorntail leapt away from her, and instantly the voices died away. No! He couldn't! He wouldn't ever do what Flamesoul did – not to Rosethorn, not to any cat!

"Well, I'm going to leave your side now and go back to camp," he announced hastily, whipping around towards the entrance which was visible by the outline of moonlight.

Rosethorn let out a meow of alarm, and Thorntail stopped in his tracks. "Why are you going back to camp?" she asked. Thorntail knew he caught a trace of fear in her tone, but he ignored it.

"Well," he drawled searching his mind quickly for an answer, "there isn't enough room on that moss bed for two cats to sleep next to each other. And besides, my Clanmates might worry about me if I'm not back soon, won't they?"

Though he knew that they wouldn't. Tawnyleaf and him had made an agreement that they would cover up for one another whenever necessary. In his three-day stay in the RiverClan camp, he had already lied for Tawnyleaf's mysterious absences numerous times. He knew she would show him the same courtesy.

He turned back around to continue on, but before he could even set one paw into the rain, he felt something tug on his back leg. He whirled around to see that Rosethorn had wrapped her tail around it, and was staring at him, her eyes wide and troubled. The unusually-calm cat that seemed to have possessed Rosethorn a while ago seemed to disappear completely as she murmured softly, "Don't go..." her voice was scarcely over a whisper, and Thorntail had to strain his ears to hear.

Through Rosethorn's tail, the whispers started to sneak through his barrier once more. For an instant that almost threw Thorntail completely off balance he had wanted her – and he almost didn't care how he had her.

Thank StarClan it was just _almost._

But before that six-letter word could disappear from his vocabulary, Thorntail ripped his back leg from Rosethorn's grasp. "Rosethorn..." he started to say, but the troubled she-cat cut him off.

"Don't go..."

The plea was so soft, and the sound it made was almost non-existent, but the powerful emotions behind it almost made Thorntail fall off balance.

The RiverClan warrior just stared at the she-cat he loved for a few heartbeats, drinking in her crystal-blue eyes like water. His trust in himself nearly shattered when he saw all the passion and trust that burned within them. As if he would never harm her...as if his and Flamesoul's desires weren't nearly identical.

So trusting – how simple it would be to take advantage of her now...

He chased that thought away almost as soon as it popped into the territories of his mind. Rosethorn had to know. The blind faith she had in him... it wasn't right! It wasn't deserved!

"Rosethorn..." he meowed his voice drizzled like the air outside of their hollowed cave, "you have to understand...I want you."

A fog of tension seemed to slip into the den. The female's jaws dropped in shock, as if she had completely forgotten Thorntail's gender, but he forced himself to go on. "Rosethorn, no matter what promises I make...or how much I say I hate Flamesoul...or how much I say that I'll protect you..." he stared helplessly at her, "in the end, I'm just a tomcat. A dirty, evil tomcat, with thoughts just like those of Flamesoul's..."

The former medicine cat of ThunderClan regarded him for a moment, her gaze void and blank of all expression. She stood still for what seemed like a moon, before finally she stepped away from him, breaking the bridge of contact. His heart broke in two, and he wanted to yowl in sorrow as he just briefly caught her eye.

He might as well had raped her. She certainly was looking at him like he already had.

"I...I wish I could change," he meowed truthfully, raising his voice so it would be heard above the rain that was now literally pounding onto the outside world, "and if I could take back all the pain, I would. I've tried to control my thoughts, Rosethorn, I have. I..." his voice broke as she turned her back on him. "I... I pretended that I didn't feel this way about you. I've... I've never wanted to see you so miserable again. That's why I'm leaving... I don't want to end up doing the same thing that crowfood-eating mongrel did to you..."

Rosethorn was laying on the mossy nest now, her fur looking like a splash of blood in the darkness. Her back was turned to him, and if she heard any of the words he had said, she didn't make any acknowledgement.

Thorntail let out a sigh and turned away. Trying to annoy the heavy-weighted stone of regret that was resting in his heart, he glanced at the narrow entrance into the small cavern he had led his beloved. The rain was pouring down now. By the time he returned to camp it would seem like he had lived in the river for a season.

But that was the least of his worries. Casting one last sorrowful glance over at the cat who felt that he had betrayed, he set one paw onto the cold surface outside. The rain wasn't beating against it very hard, for the Four Great Oaks were filtering most of it out, but his paw was still soaked.

Thorntail shrugged and was about to force his neck forward into the darkness, when a soft mew echoed off the walls of the hollowed out Great Rock, and into his soul.

"But I want you to, Thorntail."

The gray tomcat stumbled away from the opening, the warrior of surprise giving him a fierce kick in the gut. His mind raced with curiosity, but he could easily remember the last thing he had said to her. Did...did this mean that she wanted him to do the same thing that that 'crowfood eating mongrel' did?

He spun towards her, his ears pricked and his tail high in the air._ "What?!" _

Rosethorn was still lying on the moss nest, but as he asked the curious question she slowly turned towards him. Even Thorntail's wet paw warmed with joy as he saw the pure love that was spilling out from her sapphire eyes.

Se slowly got to her feet, not taking her gorgeous eyes off of his pelt for even a moment. She just stared at him for the longest time, allowing silence to wrap its tight claw around them both, before finally she meowed, "You say that you don't want to add to my nightmares?" she asked shakily. "Why don't you help me leave them behind?"

Uncertainty tugged at his paws like quicksand, threatening to pull him underneath.

If Rosethorn noticed, she didn't comment. Instead she meowed, "Help me find the six-moon old me that I once was before that evening."

She shifted slightly so that her tail lay neatly on his cheek, sending those bolts of lightning through his body, as usual. But the force of this soft action seemed more powerful than ever before. The pain seemed to dig into the essence of Thorntail... and he doubted that he had ever felt more alive.

Thorntail just parted his jaws, lost for words. Had he woken up, and fallen into some sort of dream-come-true?

He was about to mount her right then and there, while she was still willing... But something held him back. Rosethorn had been so terrified of mating before...and she had been through so much in such a short amount of time. She had just almost been raped by her mentor, been betrayed by her mother, exiled herself from her Clan... She was emotional, and probably wasn't thinking straight.

But, for once, Rosethorn actually looked sure of herself. "Help me start over again," she continued, now massaging his cheek with her tail. "Please? Please, Thorntail?"

She flicked her tail away, and instead twined it around his, pressing herself against his chest. Thorntail was frightened that the beating of his now-overly-excited heart might accidentally pound a hole through the tiny she-cat.

Thorntail looked helplessly down at her. The memory of the time when he had tried to mate with her once before flickered through his mind and her horrified screeches scratched against his ears. How could she have possibly gotten over her nightmare so quickly? Thorntail almost backed away from her once more. He would be taking advantage of her emotional state if he did anything now...he would...

Rosethorn's voice pushed through his thoughts. "Please, set me free."

Her eyes were wide and pleading, but Thorntail couldn't comprehend what she was asking him to do. But the look in her eyes told him that _she_ knew what she was asking. Looking at him with enough love to hold its own even against the wrath of StarClan...

Finally he made his decision.

Hesitantly, he ran his tongue along her outstretched neck. He had half-expected her to yowl, or push him away as she had countless times before when he had made such a sensual motion towards her... but instead, a rumbling purr bounced off of the walls of the cave.

In fact, Rosethorn actually returned his affectionate reach out towards her, and she gently massaged his nose with her tongue.

Thorntail didn't know what happened next. Gray and ginger paws started to work over one another, somehow leading the pair of cats to the mossy nest. Before Rosethorn fell onto it, Thorntail was just able to catch a glance at the bedding. The silver moonlight was flittering through the entrance of the eerily-convenient cave, and it was dancing on the...blood that lay on the bed. Thorntail didn't even know who it belonged to, or how old it was. As far as he was concerned, it might've_ actually_ been Shadenight's. Or Gingerleaf's. Or that one kittypet that he had met that one day. He never had learned her name.

But as it was, Rosethorn tumbled onto the bloodstained nest which had known many other mates before her. Though, Thorntail knew, it would never know any_ after _her. She had saved him from the shadow that had been padding by his side since Graywhisker had ended his own life – even when she had been busy outrunning a nightmare of her own. She had saved his life, and now she would own it.

He had never felt passion this explosive as he ran his muzzle down her spine, using his tongue to bounce along the outline of the bones beneath her fur. He memorized the taste of her, and the feel of her, and he secretly hoped that she was doing the same to him.

He slowly worked his way up, until finally his tongue was exploring the interior of her ear. She moaned.

Thorntail gently nipped some of the blood-colored fur between his fangs, and with one of his massive paws he shifted her until he was on top and the gorgeous she-cat was cradled beneath him.

He rested his head in the crook between her body and neck, frolicking in the beat of her pulse, and the scent that was crawling into his nostrils. Oh, StarClan...had Rosethorn always smelled so sweet? Was it just Thorntail...or did she _really_ smell like a rose? An alarmed nose...a horrified rose...

Thorntail, regaining some control, was finally able to acknowledge Rosethorn's fear-scent that was tingling in the air. Thorntail underbelly-muscles tensed as it became apparent how still the body of the cat he lay on top of had become.

His gray fur pressing into hers, Thorntail drew out his neck and stared upside-down at the she-cat he loved.

His heart swelled out for her. Even without the fear-scent flowing through the air, it was apparent how afraid the former-ThunderClan cat was. Her paws, though not flailing in the air as she tried to fight Thorntail away, were pushed into the ground – and her claws were curving out of them, and dug into the earth. And her eyes, which were just moments ago filled to the brim with love and admiration, were now tightly shut. Thorntail guessed that in her mind's eyes she was seeing Flamesoul looming over her as he prepared to thrust himself into her...

Rosethorn was so frightened of what she was about to do...and yet, she wasn't screaming obscenities and running from him like the fires of hell were on her heels. She knew what he wanted, and though it frightened her, this time she was going to accept it. After everything Flamesoul had done to her when she was at such a tender age, she was still going to surrender to Thorntail and relive the shadows of her past.

"Open your eyes," he whispered, shifting in such a way so that he could twitch the tip of her ear with his tail.

At first, Rosethorn didn't move. She remained perfectly still, almost as if she were made of stone. But finally, the lids of her eyes twitched, as if the Thorntail's voice had just entered her consciousness.

She opened them. At first, fierce blue storms of fear surged through them and Thorntail felt her tense beneath him. Then, the storm seemed to fade away, and he could almost swear that he saw an honest-to-StarClan flash of joy within the irises.

"Look," he ordered softly, turning his head from side to side so she could examine it from every angle. "It's me, Rosethorn," he rasped his tongue between her ears. "It's _me_."

Rosethorn's purr ceased from being silent as she confirmed that he was really him by nosing his stone-gray fur affectionately.

Thorntail took the opportunity to run his tail and neck all along her body, looking for the secrets it might contain. The forbidden fruit had been laying between his paws for moons, and he was finally allowed to take a bite.

But before he could take that bite, and satisfy the urge within him, Rosethorn let out a shocked mewl. Rosethorn was somehow able to gain the strength to roll onto her back, blocking the entryway that Thorntail had been searching for, and stare helplessly into Thorntail's confused eyes.

Thorntail could almost yowl when he saw the anguish that was floating in the sapphire pools of his mate. Trouble rippled through the pools as she started to shake; contrary to the petrified state she had been in earlier.

"I-I'm dirty," she rasped, her tone soft and jittery. "...so dirty."

What Flamesoul had done to her!

Thorntail gazed tenderly at her, slowly shaking his head to disconfirm the labels she had given herself. "There is _nothing_ more innocent and pure than the way you are now."

He started to almost ravenously run his tongue along her face, noticing for the first time how soft her pelt was where his was rough, and eternally-coarse.

Outside, Thorntail could just see a flash of light. He guessed that lightning was flying about, igniting the sky in a warm glow. Perhaps it was StarClan, voicing their discontent at the action that was being performed beneath them.

Perhaps StarClan should go chase their own tails.

Darkness returned, enclosing the two cats beneath its freezing pelt, but its reign didn't last long. The lightning flashed once more, and this time, some of the light crept into the cavern. It flickered all over, but Rosethorn seemed to be the only thing to capture the glow. The golden light wafted through her crimson fur. She looked like a fallen StarClan warrior herself, returning to the forest to save even the cats who hadn't deserved it. The lightning faded once more.

"Thorntail..."

The thunder was just starting to follow the lightning. Thorntail almost didn't hear Rosethorn's mewl, but when he saw the glowing blue orbs he knew that something else was troubling her. He looked at her, expecting to see more trouble, fear, or even anger in the depths.

But there was none to be found. Instead...

"Thorntail, I love you," she hesitated, before she covered his muzzle with playful licks. "Continue."

_Thorn...Gray_

Thorntail sat on his haunches, his ears pricked, his head lowered and his claws unsheathed. His eyes focused on the narrow entrance of the den, where the newborn sunlight was seeping in from, on the alert for anything that could enter and take Rosethorn away from him. He was on the alert for almost everything under the son. From the demons that the queens warn their kits about in nursery stories to cats – and he only half remembered Flamesoul and Silverleaf, who were both at once.

Finally assured that nothing was going to lumber in and harm either of them, he turned to the cat behind him. She had somehow been able to find the strength to sleep through the night, unlike Thorntail who had kept vigil.

Rosethorn was just on the edge of sleeping now, however. Her eyelids were made heavy with the misery of drowsiness and her front paws were draping off of the moss-bed – which, for the record, had new stains.

Still hiding her sapphire irises, she rose to her paws and stretched her back legs to the point where she was scratching the edges of their protective wall.

StarClan, he thought, hobbling towards her and resting his cheek on the softness of her fur. He had never felt so honored, so privileged to see a cat awaken from her slumber.

There was the howl of a dying piece of prey in the distance, probably being killed by a nearby dawn patrol. Thorntail knew from common sense that it was of no danger to him, but still his head jerked towards the entrance once more.

His fear was not for himself, but for Rosethorn. Who knew whether Silverleaf's threats from the previous moon would one day be acted on...or if ThunderClan would suddenly realize that they had exiled their own medicine cat for no reason other than that she had a cruel mentor.

A part of his mind told him that Silverleaf was distracted by all the she-cats crawling all over him up in WindClan and that ThunderClan were never going to admit a mistake...but the need to protect and defend his mate – StarClan, that part suddenly clawed him in the face. She was his mate now! _His!_ – was momentarily powerful enough to crush any rationality and made him leap with a battle cry about to escape his lips when he felt something rub against his side.

But he held himself in place when he noticed that the cat that was running her tail along his flank wasn't some psychotic apprentice of his or a piece of fox-dung mentor of hers, but her herself. Her being Rosethorn.

Her tail was now running along some indented scar that Thorntail didn't even remember getting. She lifted it and moved to another, and then to another, her eyes wide and troubled. "So many scars," she breathed, finally removing it from his body and wrapping it around herself as she prepared to bathe once more.

"Warriors are supposed to have a lot of scars," he pointed out proudly. "You'll be a warrior too, won't you – in RiverClan?" he realized out loud. His shoulder-fur bristled. "Whoever scars you will have to die."

For once, Rosethorn didn't tell him to not talk like that. In fact, she didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes suddenly rested on one of Thorntail's more embarrassing ones – a scar that lay scratched near his rump. "That one's from the battle with ShadowClan the other day, isn't it?"

"Actually no. Smokestar gave it to me a few seasons ago," Thorntail admitted. He looked away as he recalled. "Smokestar gave me a lot of little scars. Graywhisker gave me the longest, deepest scar I would ever get, though..."

Some cats would quickly point out that Thorntail didn't have any scars that were unusually long or peculiarly deep. But Rosethorn seemed to understand what he was trying to say, and just listened in silence.

"But," he added more optimistically, turning to her once more, "you of all cats...would know best, wouldn't you? I mean..." Thorntail shuffled his paws in embarrassment. "I mean, even if warriors get injured, their wounds heal. Though the injured place will never be as beautiful as it was originally, new flesh will grow and cover the wound."

Glee flashed in Rosethorn's eyes briefly, but then clouded with trouble. "I wonder," she sighed, "how many are because of RiverClan warriors...how many are because ShadowClan warriors...and how many are from ThunderClan and WindClan – and then there are loners..." she looked meaningfully at him. "And I wonder how many are because of me."

Thorntail twitched her ear with his tail. "None of them are_ because_ of you," he emphasized. "They can _all_ be _for _you though, if you'll accept them – and accept me," he added.

In answer to his plea, Rosethorn pressed her forehead into his chest, a purr escaping her throat. She held that contact with him for a few moments before she almost forced Thorntail out of the darkness of the cave and into the golden sunshine with a ferocious push.

Thorntail stumbled onto his side, but was back onto his paws in an instant when he felt the sunshine slink through his gray fur. He flicked his tail to beckon for Rosethorn, and she finally hopped out.

She stumbled forward slightly, and fell into the shadow of one of the Great Oaks. The tree that faced Southeast –the tree closest to ThunderClan territory. Thorntail looked at her worriedly, afraid that her stumble might've hurt her, and, in truth, she did lay in the darkness for many heartbeats. But finally her eyes fluttered open and noticing Thorntail staring at her with concern, and bounded towards him. The darkness fell off of her pelt, and the light of the sun lit up her gorgeous fur. Thorntail stared at the pools of blue that were his eyes, and he knew they had never been brighter.

"RiverClan?" he asked when she pressed herself against him.

"Sure."

He doubted two cats had ever taken a Clan-change to casually. But compared to everything else that had happened to Rosethorn the night before, leaving ThunderClan and joining RiverClan was nothing.

"I wonder what they'll say when they find out that I've found the mate that I want to stay with forever..." he wondered out loud.

Rosethorn let out a purr as he complimented her, before looked at him mischievously. "Probably something along the lines of 'Queens, elders, and kits stay in the nursery! Hurry, for Thorntail found a mate and that means the world is coming to an end!'"

Thorntail stared at her. Never before had she made a joke like that. Had Rosethorn ever made a joke before? Maybe...but Thorntail had never seen her tell one with so much joy in her voice.

Realizing that she expected an answer, he finally shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, that's more or less how they'll react. So...Rosethorn...what should we really tell them, though?" he narrowed his eyes.

"You mean...why I left ThunderClan?"

"Yes. I mean, if we told them about Flamesoul it would get you more sympathy and they'll be more likely to accept you...but that's sort of personal, isn't it?"

Rosethorn twitched her tail thoughtfully. "We'll worry about that when we get there."

Thorntail shrugged. "Okay," he sighed licking her ear. "If we start going there now, we might get to my camp by sunhigh," he pointed out.

"_Our _camp." Rosethorn bounded towards him, pressing himself firmly against his side.

"Our camp," he agreed.

_End of Book 2 _

* * *

**I'm going to make one last chapter - it'll have a quick summary of the third story, and I'll reply to the last of my reviews...and maybe it'll have some other stuff. **

**Thanks to all my reviewers! **

**-spoiler** **DON'T READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE CHAPTER!-** **So, Thorntail and Rosethorn are finally mates. Woo hoo! It only took them like, 71 chapters and a million pages to do it. No pun intended. lol. Oh, and for the record, Thorntail and Rosethorn weren't um...mating when you guys were reading about them. They were still at the making-out stage, sort of. Shortly after Rosethorn said "continue" they...yeah. So that's why they were able to talk to each other so clearly. But if you actually thinking that deep into it, you're a little weird. **

**Review, and you get a** **plushie. A plushie with Rosethorn and Thorntail, tails entertwined - 2nd Edition.**

**Oh, when you review...if you review, I mean, do me a favor and tell me who your favorite character and least favorite character is. I'm just curious, 'cause so many people like the most random characters...I want to know how many actually like the MAIN characters. I know Applefur and Blackshadow are fairly popular...huh. Oh, and if you were worried about not having Blackshadow or Applefur's POV ever again...don't. We will get into their heads again - just not as often. **

**Um...what else to say.** **Well, I am going to make a bonus chapter with just a few sneak peeks, so this I don't really feel like I finished anything.** **All well. Please review. lol. **

**P.S**

**_THE NAME EBONYPOOL WAS NOT THOUGHT OF BY ME! THE REVIEWER DAWNFEATHER GAVE ME THE NAME! IT'S HER NAME, HER IDEA, NOT MINE! ALL I OWN IS THE CHARACTER!_ **

**Dawnfeather's awesome. 'Nuff said. **

**But, hey, in speaking of Ebonypool, NOW do you all understand why I made her not be medicine cat anymore? Wouldn't you have worried about her and Flamesoul being in a den together? See. I did SOME planning ahead.**

**I'm rambling now. lol.**

**Review. **


	31. Farewell

**_The Farewell _**

**Oh no! I finished Burning Roses, Silver Thorns! **

**I really had fun writing it, though. I can visually SEE how much I've improved from Chapter 1 to Chapter 30... Okay, I know I'm not _THAT_ great yet, but the fact of the matter is, I am improving - and that's good, right? So I'm thinking by the time I finish the last of the trilogy, I'll be a half-way decent writer! Or a GREAT writer like good old Steeltalon (who changed her name -grumbles-) and xX-Secrets-Xx. Oh, shut up. I can dream, can't I? **

**Anyways...time to reply to my reviewers. For the last time for the story Burning Roses, Silver Thorns. YIKES! However, due to the fact that the Evil Author's Note and the previous chapter had more or less the same URL, people who reviewed the Author's Note couldn't review Chapter 29 - so not as many people were able to get through, and some ended up PMing me! Thanks guys!**

**Anyways... **

**Mooncloud's Courage - Thanks for the compliment! I think you're a fairly new reviewer (slap me if I'm wrong, lol) , but for every chapter since you started reading you've reviewed! Thanks a lot! **

**Watersoul the Head Star Walker - Yup, had to get your hopes up. -nods- I don't really understand your review...you more or less just said 'whee' lol. Are you spinning around in a spiny chair? Can I join you? -starts spinning in chair- I'm dizzy. Anyways, thanks for being such a loyal reviewer - I loved reading your reviews! You always had a lot to say... **

**Aquamist's Loyalty - I'm...I'm glad your happy. lol. Random reviews... Well, thanks, (I now see that you are Skysong! YAY SKYSONG!) Aquamist's Loyalty! **

**TawnyLeaf - Flamesoul had to live. Otherwise, he couldn't appear in the next one, could he? Anyways, for the record: Streamstar KNOWS what Flamesoul tried to do to her daughter. I didn't describe it well enough, but her wording 'I'm _willing _to believe him' was me trying to make it seem like she knew exactly what she was doing to her daughter, but didn't care. And, yes, I did the whole thing with Robinwing to foreshadow this whole incident with Flamesoul. Woo hoo! Anyways, thanks for all your reviews! You've reviewed many-a-chapter! WHOOT!**

**Pearla.H.Sweden - I'll tell you right of the bat that you are one of my star reviewers. You're like the one who constantly boosts my self-esteem. Yay, self-esteem! Anyways, yes, there will be one last sequel. But as for Kits and Rosethorn...well...you'll see. -cackles-**

**Dragon-Star155 - Yeah, I overdid it. Drama Queen I am. I didn't even catch those typos...but you did. So you get a cookie! -gives cookie- Yay! Thanks for all the reviews! **

**Spottedfeather - I can't wait to write the third book, either! And I'm honored that you gave me your longest review ever! -huggles- **

**Cloudfire - We shall have a rambling contest sometime! lol. Anyways, Streamstar doesn't believe Flamesoul - read what I said to TawnyLeaf up above. It's my fault for not making it clear enough, xD . It doesn't really effect the story much, but it adds a bit of spice, ne? But you have to see Streamstar's POV too - she IS Doing the best for her Clan. Sort of like how Bluestar indirectly killed Mosskit to save the Clan from Thistleclaw. Anyways, I didn't kill Flamesoul because I need him for later. And...well, thanks for all the reviews! I can't thank everyone profusely now 'cause I'm running out of time...but...yeah. Thanks a lot! **

**Tainted Shadow Rebel - Thinking outside of the box! Clever with the name-change! Anyways, I...I think I'll take your review as a compliment. Telling me that you didn't read any of it, but the chapter that you did read you liked...lol. XD I think I understand - Iwouldn't have read the crap beforehand anyways. It was badly written, but I've improved since then. Isn't one of the purposes of Fanfiction to get better? And I think I'm getting better, personally! -dances- And the critisism that I got helped me a lot along the way, so don't go yelling at those people! They helped me out! (Thanks Strangefur, and xX-Secrets-Xx! You two really taught me a thing or 8 about grammar:-) ) Oh, and yes, I can sign the plushie. -signs plushie- Thanks for all the reviews, Tainted Shadow WATCHER. AND thanks for the tip about a certain thief earlier. -winks- **

**Swanfeather - I'll tell you right off that Ebonypool will never be an official medicine cat again - she's pregnant, remember? And Flamesoul is still alive, he's going to be medicine cat of ThunderClan. But you'll see that in the allegiances. Thanks for all of your reviews, they really kept me going! YAY!**

**StrangefurYou really helped me out a LOT. With the ,'s, and the "'s, and the .'s, and ...yeah. The quality of my writing improved quite a bit 'cause of you! Because you took the time to point out my mistakes, I knew that you must've thought that I at least had HOPE to be a decent writer! So, thanks a LOT! As for your review...it's spelled' Phycho'. lol - I would know best, wouldn't I? -refers to previously mentioned Phycho Movie Obsession- Seriously, if you like Suspenseful Thrillers and haven't seen that movie...it's awesome. Oh, and yeah...I sort of hate Streamstar more than Flamesoul too. I mean, as Rosethorn said, Flamesoul is sort of EXPECTED to do the things he does - I mean, come on. You all saw it coming. But Streamstar was Rosethorn's mother...she's not supposed to be hooking Flamesoul up with her daughter! xD Oh, and I have the allegiances made for the next book. -jumps up and down- Thanks again, Strangefur! **

**xX-Secrets-Xx - I'll tell everyone about your club when I'm done replying to you. -laughs- Anyways, Thorntail and Rosethorn were a couple before! They just weren't...uh...physical. Anyways, Blackshadow and Applefur will be around, so don't worry. I like them too... they always reminded me of a teen couple - the girl getting pregnant when she's 16 or so. I don't know why...but they do. As for your next question, I PLAN on writing a short series about Twilightfur and Silverleaf when I'm done...but I'm not sure yet. -shrugs- Who knows if my mind will change by then? Oh, and thanks for all the heplp along the way. What I said to STrangefur applies to you too. I mean, I've been reading your 'Together at Last' fanfic (I didn't review often...I forget why) and I'm usually agape with awe at how beautifully written it is. Thanks for mentoring me so much! \**

**lmblovesmilk - Yeah, I'm a drama queen. -blushes- sorry. Thanks so much for all your reviews - I loved every single one! I think you were one of the first people to review this story, weren't you? And you've stuck with me ever since... Thanks so much! **

**Koiahalo - Thanks for the review. But as for your tip about the grammar...usually I don't argue with reviewers, but I think you just got it out of context. Rosethorn wasn't saying 'But I want you too, Thorntail' as in she wanted him as well... She was saying 'But I want you to do the same thing that crowfood eating mongrel did to me'. lol. I just had to defend myself! I make many-a-typo, but for once, I used proper grammar! Whoot! Well, thanks for trying! It's my fault, actually - I should've made what Rosethorn was trying to say a tad bit clearer. Anyways, thanks for reviewing! I hope to see you review the next story, too! **

**Mapleleaf - Oh! I think you know what you did! You pushed me to finish this thing! Constantly boosting my self-esteem, being all awesome...thanks a lot! I think you reviewed more than any other reviewer...I think you should get a gift basket. -gives gift basket- It has candy corn! YAY CANDY CORN! **

**Running Shadow - You haven't even met Smokestar! How the heck can he be your favorite? Oh wait...he's appeared before. Never mind, never mind. I forgot. Anyways, Smokestar is one of my favorite characters too - he's up there with Silverleaf, in fact. Thanks a lot for reviewing! I look forward to some more in the next story! WHOOT! **

**Thanks to every reviewer! Dragon-Star155, xX-Secrets-Xx, Spottedfeather, Flamepelt's Wrath, Mapleleaf, lmblovesmilk, Pearla.H.Sweden, Strangefur, Tainted Shadow Watcher/Rebel, Cloudfire, Aquamist's Loyalty, Watersoul the head Star Walker...and every other review too, who's name I can't write because my hand is cramping up! YIKES! **

**Oh, and btw everyone: the Reviewer xX-Secrets-Xx came up with a fun idea! lol. The KFASN club. (It stands for Kill Flamesoul and Streamstar Now) club. Since those two are rather unpopular characters right now...It seems good to me!**

**Now...**

**Time for the overly-detailed summary of the next story! **

**_Thorns of the Past, Rose of the Present_ **

**(Title offered by Tainted Shadow Watcher/Rebel)**

**Summary: Rosethorn and Thorntail are in love. No cat can deny that. No cat _has_ to deny it either, now that Rosethorn is no longer a medicine cat. Life has been sweet ever since Rosethorn escaped from the nightmare of her apprenticeship, and took her rightful place by her mate's side... In fact, life couldn't be better - for either one of them. A new rank on the horizon for Thorntail thanks to his good friend Tawnyleaf, new kin being prepared for, Rosethorn's making new friends... It looks like it's finally time for the happy ending.**

**But if it was time for a happy ending, I wouldn't bother writing a third book. I would've ended it with the second book. **

**The ACTUAL summary will be given before the allegiances of the first book. I hope to see you there.**

**P.S - If you review this chapter, I will reply to you through fanfiction's reply system...But if you don't have a fanfiction account, I won't be able to reply. -shrugs- Sorry. However, I do ask that you review - at the time I'm posting this, I have 666 reviews. It's creeping me out... lol. **

**Enjoy. **


End file.
